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GBI-BV
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BV [Boeing] |
BV-Plus [Boeing] |
This is the launch vehicle for the National Missile Defence System's Exoatmospheric Interceptors. It consists mainly of commercially available off-the-shelf technology. The first stage is a GEM-40VN motor, which is based on the strap-on booster of the Delta-7x2x vehicle with added thrust vector control. The two Orbus-1A motors have also been used on a number of suborbital launch vehicles like STARS and Starbird.
After Problems with the original BV design produced by Boeing, the improved version was outsourced to Lockheed Martin, who produces the BV-Plus.
| Version | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BV | GEM-40VN | Orbus-1A | Orbus-1A |
| BV-Plus | GEM-40VN | Orbus-1A | Orbus-1A |
No: TNo: Seial Type Date LS Payload
1 1 BVT-1 BV 31.08.2001 Va LF-21 EKV Dummy 2 2 BVT-3 BV 13.12.2001 F Va LF-21 EKV Dummy 3 1 BVT-5 BV-Plus 09.01.2004 Va LF-21 EKV Dummy Failures: Flight 2: veered off course after 10 seconds Launch sites: Va = Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA
