The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) was an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle. When it was in service from 2004 to 2024, it was the largest type in the Delta IV family and was the world's second highest-capacity rocket in operation, behind SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket and closely followed by CNSA's Long March 5 rocket.[1][2] It was manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in December 2004 and was retired after its last flight on 9th April 2024.[3]
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Launch statistics
edit1
2004
2010
2015
2020
- Partial Failure
- Success
Launch history
edit| Flight | Date | Payload [4] | Mass | Launch site | Outcome [4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 December 2004 | DemoSat, Sparkie / 3CS-1 and Ralphie / 3CS-2 | ≈6,000 kg (13,000 lb) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Partial failure[a] |
| 2 | 11 November 2007 | DSP-23 | 5,250 kg (11,570 lb) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 3 | 18 January 2009 | Orion 6 / Mentor 4 (USA-202 / NROL-26) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 4 | 21 November 2010 | Orion 7 / Mentor 5 (USA-223 / NROL-32) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 5 | 20 January 2011 | KH-11 Kennen 15 (USA-224 / NROL-49) | <17,000 kg (37,000 lb) | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
| 6 | 29 June 2012 | Orion 8 / Mentor 6 (USA-237 / NROL-15) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 7 | 26 August 2013 | KH-11 Kennen 16 (USA-245 / NROL-65) | <17,000 kg (37,000 lb) | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
| 8 | 5 December 2014 | Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) | 21,000 kg (46,000 lb)[5][b] | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 9 | 11 June 2016 | Orion 9 / Mentor 7 (USA-268 / NROL-37) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 10 | 12 August 2018 | Parker Solar Probe[c] | 685 kg (1,510 lb) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 11 | 19 January 2019 | NROL-71 | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
| 12 | 11 December 2020 | Orion 10 / Mentor 8 (USA-268/ NROL-44)[6][7] | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 13 | 26 April 2021 | KH-11 Kennen 17 (NROL-82) | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
| 14 | 24 September 2022 | KH-11 Kennen 18 (NROL-91) | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
| 15 | 22 June 2023 | Orion 11 / Mentor 9 (NROL-68)[8] | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
| 16 | 9 April 2024 | Orion 12 / Mentor 10 (NROL-70)[9] | Classified | CCSFS, SLC-37B | Success |
Notes
edit- ^ Common Booster Cores underperformed, lower orbit than planned
- ^ The officially reported mass of 21,000 kg includes the Launch Abort System (LAS) which did not reach orbit, but excludes the residual mass of the upper stage, which did reach orbit, likely offsetting the mass of the LAS.
- ^ Star 48BV upper stage
References
edit- ^ "Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
The ULA Delta 4-Heavy is currently the world's largest rocket, providing the nation with reliable, proven, heavy lift capability for our country's national security payloads from both the east and west coasts.
- ^ Chang, Kenneth (6 February 2018). "Falcon Heavy, SpaceX's Big New Rocket, Succeeds in Its First Test Launch". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
The Falcon Heavy is capable of lifting 140,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit, more than any other rocket today.
- ^ "Boeing Delta IV Heavy Achieves Major Test Objectives in First Flight". Boeing. 21 December 2004. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "Delta-4". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^ "NASA Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 PRESS KIT" (PDF). NASA. December 2014. p. 12.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- ^ "Launch Mission Execution Forecast". 45th Weather Squadron - Patrick Air Force Base. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (22 June 2023). "Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifts off with NRO spy satellite". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ Graham, William (9 April 2024). "Delta IV Heavy launches on final mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
