With their use of existing, flight-proven solid rocket motors, the Minotaur-family of launch vehicles have always been inherently suited to the quick reaction requirements of Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) missions. This capability was shown to be a reality by the launch of the TacSat-2 spacecraft on 16 December 2006 using a Minotaur I space launch vehicle (SLV).The Minotaur I successfully delivered the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) TacSat-2 spacecraft to orbit -as well as the secondary NASA GeneSat-1 picosat -after being launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) launch facility on Wallops Island, VA at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). The lessons learned from this rapid response demonstration will be applied to further reduce the reaction time of the full family of Minotaur vehicles in support of future ORS missions. The TacSat-2 mission was a precedent setting realization of ORS launch capabilities, demonstrating a dramatic reduction in the normal mission integration, range interface, and field processing timelines. The launch took place less than 7 months after being initiated in late May 2006. It also demonstrated the ability to be prepared for launch in a stand-by configuration and launch when required after waiting 'on alert' for 5 days after being prepared to launch on 11 December. Moreover, all final operations from the start of spacecraft mate until launch were independently timed to assess the processing time that would be required in a true operationally responsive launch mode. The objective for this effort was to show the ability to respond within two weeks, with a goal of one week. The cumulative measured time for critical operations bettered both marks at less than 6 days of processing, showing that Minotaur vehicles are easily capable of meeting the launch requirements of ORS missions. In addition to achieving launch readiness in record time, the TacSat-2 mission also demonstrated a number of firsts. Most significantly, it was also the first launch from the MARS launch facility and was the first successful ground-based space launch from Wallops Island in 21 years. The TacSat-2 vehicle was the first Minotaur I to fly a larger, 61 inch diameter fairing and was also the first time a RocketCam on board video camera was flown on a Minotaur vehicle. Finally, the integration of the GeneSat-1 secondary pico-spacecraft was accomplished in a compressed schedule of less than four months.

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