Delta Family
The Delta rocket family.
Type	Expendable launch system with various applications
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft Company McDonnell Douglas Boeing
Introduced	1960
Status	active

The Delta family of rockets is used in an expendable launch system that has provided space launch capability for the United States since 1960. Delta has a history of over 300 launches, with a 95% success rate. Of the many types of Delta rockets that have been used, two -- the Delta II and the Delta IV -- are currently scheduled for future space launches. Manufacture and launch of Delta rockets are currently provided by the United Launch Alliance. Delta EELV family of rockets (US Govt) Downloaded from the US Govt FAA website: http://ast. ... An expendable launch system or expendable launch vehicle, ELV, is a single-use launch vehicle usually used to launch a payload into space. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... This article is about vehicles powered by rocket engines. ... An expendable launch system or expendable launch vehicle, ELV, is a single-use launch vehicle usually used to launch a payload into space. ... The Delta II family of launch vehicles was designed and built by Boeings Integrated Defense Systems division and has been in service since 1989. ... It has been suggested that some sections of this article be split into a new article entitled Delta IV launches. ... United Launch Alliance is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. ...

Delta origins

Main article: Thor (launch vehicle)

See also: PGM-17 Thor

The original Delta rockets used a modified version of the PGM-17 Thor, the first ballistic missile deployed by the United States, as their first stage. The Thor had been designed in the mid-'50s to reach Moscow from bases in Britain or similar allied nations, and the first wholly successful Thor launch had occurred in September 1957. Subsequent satellite and space probe flights soon followed, using a Thor first stage with several different upper stages. The fourth upper stage used on the Thor was the Thor "Delta," delta being the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. Eventually the entire Thor-Delta launch vehicle came to be called simply, "Delta."^[1] Thor Able with Pioneer I at Cape Canaveral in Florida Thor was a space launch vehicle derived from the PGM-17 Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. ... Thor-Ablestar Thor was the United Statess first operational ballistic missile. ... Thor-Ablestar Thor was the United Statess first operational ballistic missile. ... Diagram of V-2, the first ballistic missile. ... The second stage of a Minuteman III rocket A multistage (or multi-stage) rocket is, like any rocket, propelled by the recoil pressure of the burning gases it emits as it burns fuel. ... For other uses, see Satellite (disambiguation). ... Technicians work on the Ulysses space probe. ...

NASA intended Delta as "an interim general purpose vehicle" to be "used for communication, meteorological, and scientific satellites and lunar probes during '60 and '61". The plan was to replace Delta with other rocket designs when they came on-line. The Delta design emphasized reliability rather than performance by replacing components which had caused problems on earlier Thor flights. NASA let the original Delta contract to the Douglas Aircraft Company in April of 1959 for 12 vehicles of this design: The Douglas Aircraft Company was founded by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. ...

• Stage 1: Modified Thor IRBM with a Block I MB-3 engine producing 152,000 lbf (676 kN) thrust. (LOX/RP1 turbopump, gimbal mounted engine, two verniers for roll control)
• Stage 2: Modified Able. Pressure fed UDMH/nitric acid powered Aerojet AJ-10-118 engine producing 7700 lbf (34 kN). This reliable engine cost $4 million to build and is still flying in modified form today. Gas jet attitude control system.
• Stage 3: Altair. A spin stabilized (via a turntable on top of the Able) at 100 rpm by two solid rocket motors before separation. One ABL X-248 solid rocket motor provided 2800 lbf (12 kN) of thrust for 28 seconds. The stage weighed 500 lb (230 kg) and was largely constructed of wound fiberglass.

These vehicles would be able to place 650 lb (295 kg) into a 150 to 230 mile (241 to 370 km) LEO or 100 lb (45 kg) into GTO. Eleven of the twelve initial Delta flights were successful. The total project development and launch cost came to $43 million, $3 million over budget. An order for 14 more vehicles was let before 1962. Aerojet is a major rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Sacramento, California with divisions in Redmond, Washington, Orange, VA, Gainesville, VA, and Camden, AK. Their products include a wide range of propulsion, from main engines used on a number of NASA vehicles and ballistic missiles, down to stationkeeping... A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit in which objects such as satellites are below intermediate circular orbit (ICO) and far below geostationary orbit, but typically around 350 - 1400 km above the Earths surface. ... A geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is a Hohmann transfer orbit around the Earth between a low Earth orbit (LEO) and a geostationary orbit (GEO). ...

Early Delta flights

is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Echo 1 sits fully inflated at a Navy hangar in Weeksville, North Carolina. ... The Bumper V-2 was the first missile launched at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. ... Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17 is a launch site at Merritt Island, Florida. ... is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Echo 1 sits fully inflated at a Navy hangar in Weeksville, North Carolina. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... TIROS, or Television Infrared Observation Satellite, was a series of early weather satellites launched by NASA, beginning with TIROS-1 in 1960. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Explorer program was the United Statess first successful attempt to launch an artificial satellite . ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dr. Nancy Roman, with a model of the Orbiting Solar Observatory. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The debris fireball stretching along Earths magnetic field [1] with air-glow aurora as seen at 3 minutes from a KC-135 surveillance aircraft The flash created by the explosion as seen through heavy cloud cover from Honolulu 1,300 km away Another view of Starfish Prime through thin... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The original Telstar had a roughly spherical shape. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Delta Evolution

Launch of the first Skynet satellite by Delta rocket in 1969 from Cape Canaveral

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 470 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1789 × 2279 pixel, file size: 194 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Skynet (satellites) Delta... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 470 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1789 × 2279 pixel, file size: 194 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Skynet (satellites) Delta... Launch of the first Skynet satellite, Skynet 1A, by Delta rocket in 1969 from Cape Canaveral Skynet is a family of military satellites, now operated by Paradigm Secure Communications on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, which provide strategic communication services to the three branches of the UK Armed... Cape Canaveral from space, August 1991 Cape Canaveral (Cabo Cañaveral in Spanish) is a strip of land in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of that states Atlantic coast. ...

Delta A

Block II MB-3 engine, 170,000 lbf (756 kN) vs. 152,000 lbf (676 kN)

13. EPE2
14. EPE3

Delta B

• Upgraded AJ10-118D upper stage--3 foot tank stretch, higher energy oxidizer, solid-state guidance system.
• Delta program goes from 'interim' to 'operational' status.
• 200 lb (90 kg) to GTO.

15. 13 Dec 1962. Relay 1, second NASA communications satellite, NASA's first active one.
16. 13 Feb 1963. pad 17b. Syncom 1. Thiokol Star 13B solid rocket as apogee kick motor.
20. July 26, 1963. Syncom 2. Geosynchronous orbit, but inclined 33° due to the limited performance of the Delta. A Trident C-4 FBM launches and fires its Thiokol solid rocket first stage Thiokol (variously Thiokol Chemical Company, Morton-Thiokol Inc. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Syncom (for synchronous communication satellite) started as a 1961 NASA program for active geosynchronous communication satellites, all of which were developed and manufactured by Hughes Space and Communications. ...

Delta C

• Third stage Altair replaced with Altair 2—its engine having been developed as the ABL X-258 for the Scout vehicle; 3 in (76 mm) longer, 10% heavier, but 65% more total thrust.

Delta D

• Also known as Thrust Augmented Delta.
• A Delta C with the Thrst Augmented Thor core plus three Castor 1 boosters.

25. 19 Aug 1964. Syncom 3, the first geostationary communications satellite.
26. Intelsat 1 The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. ... Syncom (for synchronous communication satellite) started as a 1961 NASA program for active geosynchronous communication satellites, all of which were developed and manufactured by Hughes Space and Communications. ... Geostationary orbit A geostationary orbit (GEO) is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earths equator (0° latitude), with orbital eccentricity of zero. ...

Delta E

• Also known as Thrust Augmented Improved Delta.
• 1965.
• 100 lb (45 kg) more to GTO than Delta D.
• Castor II vs. Castor boosters. Same thrust, longer duration.
• MB-3 Block III core engine, 2000 lbf (9 kN) more thrust.
• AJ10-118E second stage widened from 33 to 55 inches (0.8 to 1.4 m) diameter. Double burn time.
• Additional helium tanks allow for almost unlimited restarts.
• Two available third stages: Altair 2 or FW-4D. The latter caused the Delta to be known as a Delta E1.
• New payload fairing from Agena.

First Delta E. 6 Nov 1965. Launched GEOS 1. The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. ...

Delta G

• Two stage Delta Es.
• used for Biosatellite 1 and 2 flights.

1. 14 Dec 1966. Biosatellite 1.
2. 7 Sep 1967. Biosatellite 2

Delta J

• Used larger Thiokol Star 37D motor as third stage.

4 Jul 1968. Explorer 38.

Delta L

• Introduced Extended Long Tank first stage- 8-foot diameter throughout.
• FW-4d motor for third stage.

Delta M

• Star 37D for stage 3.

Delta N

• Two stage version of Delta N.

'Super Six'

• Delta M or Delta N with three extra strap ons.
• 1000 lb (450 kg) to GTO.

A geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is a Hohmann transfer orbit around the Earth between a low Earth orbit (LEO) and a geostationary orbit (GEO). ...

Launch Reliability

From 1969 through 1978 (inclusive), Thor-Delta was NASA's most popular launcher, with 84 launch attempts. ( Scout was the second most used vehicle with 32 launches.)^[3] NASA used it to launch its own satellites, and also to launch satellites for other government agencies and foreign governments on a cost reimbursable basis. 63 of the satellites NASA attempted to launch were provided by other parties. Out of the 84 attempts there were 7 failures or partial failures (91.6% successful).^[4] Scout launch (NASA) The Scout-rocket was an American rocket for launching small satellites. ...

Delta Numbering System

In 1972, McDonnell-Douglas introduced a four-digit numbering system to replace the letter-naming system. The new system could better accommodate the various changes and improvements to Delta rockets (and avoided the problem of a rapidly-depleting alphabet). It specified (1) the tank and main engine type, (2) number of solid boosters, (3) second stage, and (4) third stage. [1]

This numbering system was phased out in favor of a new system that was introduced in 2005. [2] In practice, vehicles designated by the new system will not launch before 2007 at the earliest. RL-10 Rocket Engine Specifications. ... RL-10 Rocket Engine Specifications. ... RL-10 Rocket Engine Specifications. ... The RS-68 (Rocket System 68) is the largest existing liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen engine, producing a thrust of 650,000 lbf (2. ...

The RS-68 (Rocket System 68) is the largest existing liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen engine, producing a thrust of 650,000 lbf (2. ... RL-10 Rocket Engine Specifications. ... RL-10 Rocket Engine Specifications. ...

Delta 904

On July 23, 1972, the launch of Landsat 1 marked the first use of nine strap-on boosters, and the new uprated second-stage engine (AJ 10-118F). This Thor-Delta model was designated the 904.^[5] is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Landsat 1, originally named Earth Resources Technology Satellite 1, was a modified version of the Nimbus 4 meteorological satellite. ...

Delta 1000-Series

• Extended Long Tank with eight-foot diameter payload fairing; nicknamed "Straight-Eight".
• Nine Castor II strap-on solid boosters.
• The first successful 1000 series Thor-Delta launched Explorer 47 on September 22, 1972.^[5]

The Explorer program was the United Statess first successful attempt to launch an artificial satellite . ... is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Delta 2000-Series

• Features new Rocketdyne RS-27 main engine on Extended Long Tank. Same constant eight-foot diameter.

F-1 rocket engine Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. ...

Delta 3000-Series

• Introduced upgraded Castor IV solid motors. Same first stage as 1000- and 2000-series.
• Also introduced PAM (Payload Assist Module)/Star 48B solid-fueled kick motor. Later used as Delta II third stage.

Delta 4000-Series

• Used old MB-3 main engine on Extended Long Tank with Castor IV motors.
• Only launched two missions.
• First use of a Delta-K second stage.

Delta 5000-Series

• Featured upgraded Castor IVA motors on Extended Long Tank first stage with RS-27 main engine.
• Only launched one mission.

Delta II series

Main article: Delta II

The Delta II series consists of the retired Delta 6000, the active Delta 7000, and two variants (lite and heavy) of the latter. The Delta II family of launch vehicles was designed and built by Boeings Integrated Defense Systems division and has been in service since 1989. ...

Delta 6000-Series

When in 1986 the Challenger accident demonstrated that Delta launches would continue, the Delta II was developed. The iconic image of Space Shuttle Challengers smoke plume after its breakup 73 seconds after launch. ... The Delta II family of launch vehicles was designed and built by Boeings Integrated Defense Systems division and has been in service since 1989. ...

• Introduced Extra Extended Long Tank first stage. 12 additional feet provide more propellant.
• Introduced Castor IVA boosters. Six ignite at takeoff, three ignite in flight.

The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters were built by Thiokol and used on a variety of launch vehicles. ...

Delta 7000-Series

• Introduces RS-27A main engine, modified for efficiency at high altitude, at some cost to low-altitude performance.
• Introduces GEM-40 (Graphite-Epoxy Motor) solid boosters from Hercules (now Alliant). Besides being longer, their lighter casings allow higher payload capability.

Delta II Med-Lite

A 7000-series with no third stage and fewer strap-ons (often three, sometimes four). Usually used for small NASA missions.

Delta II Heavy

A Delta II 792X with the enlarged GEM-46 boosters from Delta III.

Delta III (8000-Series)

Main article: Delta III rocket

A McDonnell Douglas/Boeing-developed program to keep pace with growing satellite masses: Through the 90s, satellite masses were growing steadily. ...

• The two upper stages, with low-performance fuels, were replaced with a single cryogenic stage, improving performance and reducing recurring costs and pad labor. Engine was a single Pratt & Whitney RL10, from the Centaur upper stage. The hydrogen fuel tank, 4 meters in diameter in orange insulation, is exposed; the narrower oxygen tank and engine are covered until stage ignition. Fuel tank contracted to Mitsubishi, and produced using technologies from Japanese H-II launcher.
• To keep the stack short and resistant to crosswinds, the first-stage kerosene tank was widened and shortened, matching the upper-stage and fairing diameters.
• Nine enlarged GEM-46 solid boosters attached. Three have thrust-vectoring nozzles.

Of the three Delta III flights, the first two were failures and the third carried only a dummy (inert) payload. The H-II (H2) rocket was a Japanese satellite launch system, which flew seven times between 1994 and 1999, with five successes. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Delta IV (9000-series)

Main article: Delta IV rocket

As part of the Air Force's EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) program, McDonnell Douglas/Boeing proposed Delta IV. As the program implies, many components and technologies were borrowed from existing launchers. Both Boeing and Lockheed Martin were contracted to produce their EELV designs. Delta IVs are produced in a new facility in Decatur, Alabama. It has been suggested that some sections of this article be split into a new article entitled Delta IV launches. ... The Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program was a United States government, primarily a Department of Defense–sponsored effort to develop at least one family of space launch vehicles, that would meet the long term needs of the military. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... Decatur, Alabama is a city in Morgan County, Alabama, with a small portion in southern Limestone County. ...

• First stage changed to liquid hydrogen fuel. Tank technologies derived from Delta III upper stage, but widened to 5 meters.
• Kerosene engine replaced with Rocketdyne RS-68, the first new, large liquid-fueled rocket engine designed in the US since the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) in the '70s. Designed for low cost; has lower chamber pressure and efficiency than the SSME, and a much simpler nozzle. Thrust chamber and upper nozzle is a channel-wall design, pioneered by Soviet engines. Lower nozzle is ablatively cooled.
• Second stage and fairing taken from the Delta III in smaller (Delta IV Medium) models; widened to 5 meters in Medium+ and Heavy models.
• Medium+ models have two or four GEM-60 60-inch diameter solid boosters.
• Revised plumbing and electric circuits eliminate need for a launch tower.

The first stage is referred to as a common booster core (CBC); a Delta IV Heavy attaches two extra CBCs as boosters. The RS-68 (Rocket System 68) is the largest existing liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen engine, producing a thrust of 650,000 lbf (2. ... Space Shuttle Main Engine cluster The Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) are the three main engines on the Space Shuttle orbiter. ...

Future Development

Currently development is focused on the Delta 4 Heavy, which uses three Common Booster Cores to lift higher masses to orbit and escape velocity.

See also

• HoloVID

HoloVID is a tool originally developed for the Holographic dimensional measurement of the internal isogrid webbing of the Delta Series of (launch vehicle) Space Craft skins. ...

References

• Forsyth, Kevin S. (2002). Delta: The Ultimate Thor. In Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins (Eds.), To Reach The High Frontier: A History of U.S. Launch Vehicles. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-2245-7

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Delta (rocket)

• History of the Delta Launch Vehicle
• Delta Launch Record
• The Satellite Encyclopedia - Thor Delta