SPACEHAB's Astrotech Space Operations developed the Oriole sounding rocket in the late 1990s to provide launch services for commercial and scientific payloads. Oriole was both the first privately developed sounding rocket in the United States and the first new U.S. sounding rocket in 25 years.

The Oriole was a single-stage vehicle with a graphite-epoxy motor manufactured by Alliant Missile Products Company of Rocket Center, West Virginia. It was 396 centimeters long, 56 centimeters in diameter, and generated an average thrust of 92.1 kN. The vehicle provided payloads with 6 to 9 minutes of microgravity during flight. Additionally, it could be combined with other motors to create two-stage sounding rockets (with the Oriole serving as the second stage.

On July 7, 2000, the first Oriole launch took place from NASA WFF. The launch used a two-stage configuration, with the Oriole serving as the second stage and a Terrier Mk 12 motor serving as the first stage. The Oriole sounding rocket reached a peak altitude of 385.6 kilometers 315 seconds after launch during the 10-minute test flight.

In July 2001, SPACEHAB's Astrotech Space Operations sold the Oriole program to DTI Associates of Arlington, Virginia, which integrates the vehicle and offers it commercially.

Manufacturer: DTI Associates. Launches: 1. First Launch Date: 2000-07-07. Last Launch Date: 2000-07-07. Launch data is: continuing. Apogee: 370 km (220 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 258.000 kN (58,000 lbf). Total Mass: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Core Diameter: 0.56 m (1.83 ft). Total Length: 11.00 m (36.00 ft).

2000 July 7 - 10:25 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Vehicle: Terrier Oriole.

• Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA GSFC. Apogee: 368 km (228 mi). References: 1823.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.