The final half-decade of launches in the Thor/Delta family consisted of one Delta IV Heavy each year from 2020 through 2024. This followed the retirement of Delta II in 2018 and single-stick (non-Heavy) variants of the Delta IV in 2019. With the start of 2024, Vulcan Centaur took its first flight in time to maintain continuity of ULA's service in the heavy-lift launch vehicle market before the Delta IV Heavy program came to an end three months later on April 9, 2024.
| List of Thor and Delta launches |
|---|
| 1957–1959 · 1960–1969 · 1970–1979 · 1980–1989 · 1990–1999 · 2000–2009 · 2010–2019 · 2020–2024 |
Launch statistics
editLaunch history
edit
2020edit | ||||||||
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 385 | 11 December 2020 01:09 |
Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS, SLC-37B | USA-311 (NROL-44) | Classified | GSO | US NRO | Success[1] |
| Reconnaissance satellite, likely an Orion satellite.[2] Launch attempts on 29 August and 30 September were aborted due to problems with the Ground Service Equipment (GSE).[3][4] The rocket finally lifted off on 11 December. | ||||||||
2021edit | ||||||||
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
| 386 | 26 April 2021 20:47 |
Delta IV Heavy | VAFB, SLC-6 | USA-314 (NROL-82) | Classified | LEO | US NRO | Success[5] |
| Reconnaissance satellite, likely a KH-11 Kennen satellite.[2] | ||||||||
2022edit | ||||||||
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
| 387 | 24 September 2022 22:25:30 |
Delta IV Heavy | VAFB, SLC-6 | NROL-91 | Classified | LEO | US NRO | Success[6] |
| Reconnaissance satellite, likely a KH-11 Kennen satellite.[2] Final Delta flight from Vandenberg. | ||||||||
2023edit | ||||||||
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
| 388 | 22 June 2023 09:18 |
Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS, SLC-37B | NROL-68 | Classified | GEO | US NRO | Success[7] |
| Reconnaissance satellite, likely an Orion satellite.[2] | ||||||||
2024edit | ||||||||
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
| 389 | 9 April 2024 16:53[8] |
Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS, SLC-37B | NROL-70 | Classified | GEO | US NRO | Success |
| Reconnaissance satellite, likely an Orion satellite.[2] Final flight of the Delta rocket family. | ||||||||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-44 Mission to Support National Security". ULA Launch. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "NROL launches".
- ^ Bruno, Tory [@torybruno] (29 August 2020). "The bird is in good shape. This was an automatic abort during the ignition sequence. Cause appears to have been in the ground system. System functioned as intended to protect the vehicle and payload" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ Bruno, Tory [@torybruno] (1 October 2020). "We experienced an automated abort because a sensor reported a fault. Automated Safety System operated as intended. Bird and payload are safe and unharmed. Engine ROFI ignitors were not fired. Turbo pumps were not spun up. Mission safety first..." (Tweet). Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-82 Mission to Support National Security". ULA Launch. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ Graham, William (24 September 2022). "Last West Coast Delta IV Heavy launches with NROL-91". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ Graham, William (22 June 2023). "ULA's penultimate Delta IV Heavy launches NROL-68 mission". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Delta IV Heavy - NROL-70". Next Spaceflight. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.