Delta IV
Delta IV Medium launch carrying DSCS III-B6. | |
| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | United Launch Alliance |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | US$164+ million[1] |
| Size | |
| Height | 63–70.7 m (207–232 ft) |
| Diameter | 5.1 m (17 ft) |
| Mass | 249,500–733,400 kg (550,100–1,616,900 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 407 km (253 mi) |
| Orbital inclination | 51.6° |
| Mass | 11,470–28,790 kg (25,290–63,470 lb)[2] |
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass | 4,440–14,220 kg (9,790–31,350 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Delta (rocket family) |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites |
|
| Total launches | |
| Success(es) | 44
|
| Partial failure(s) | 1 (Heavy Demo) |
| First flight |
|
| Last flight |
|
| Carries passengers or cargo |
|
| Boosters (Medium+) – GEM 60 | |
| No. boosters | 2[a] or 4[b] |
| Height | 13.2 m (518 in) |
| Diameter | 1.5 m (60 in) |
| Empty mass | 3,721 kg (8,203 lb) |
| Gross mass | 33,650 kg (74,185 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 29,698 kg (65,472 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 879 kN (197,500 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | SL: 245 s (2.40 km/s) |
| Burn time | 90.8 seconds |
| Propellant | AP / HTPB / Al |
| First stage – CBC | |
| Height | 40.8 m (134 ft) |
| Diameter | 5.1 m (17 ft) |
| Empty mass | 26,760 kg (59,000 lb) |
| Gross mass | 226,400 kg (499,100 lb) |
| Powered by | 1 × RS-68 |
| Maximum thrust | SL: 3,140 kN (705,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | SL: 360 s (3.5 km/s) vac: 412 s (4.04 km/s) |
| Burn time |
|
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
| Second stage – DCSS | |
| Height | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Diameter |
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| Empty mass |
|
| Gross mass |
|
| Powered by | 1 × RL10-B-2 |
| Maximum thrust | 110 kN (25,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 462 s (4.53 km/s) |
| Burn time |
|
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
Delta IV was a group of five expendable launch systems in the Delta rocket family. It flew 45 missions from 2002 to 2024. Originally designed by Boeing's Defense, Space and Security division for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, the Delta IV became a United Launch Alliance (ULA) product in 2006. The Delta IV was primarily a launch vehicle for military payloads for the United States Air Force (USAF), but was also used to launch a number of United States government non-military payloads and a single commercial satellite.
The Delta IV had two main versions, which allowed the family to cover a range of payload sizes and masses: Medium, which had four configurations, and Heavy. The final flight of a Medium configuration occurred in 2019. The final flight of Heavy was in April 2024.
Delta IV vehicles were built in the ULA facility in Decatur, Alabama.[5] Final assembly was completed at the launch site by ULA: at the horizontal integration facility for launches from SLC-37B at Cape Canaveral in Florida and in a similar facility for launches from SLC-6 at Vandenberg in California.
- ^ "Surplus Missile Motors: Sale Price Drives Potential Effects on DOD and Commercial Launch Providers".
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Kyle, Ed. "Delta IV Launch Record". Space Launch Report. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
- ^ Graham, William (September 24, 2022). "Last West Coast Delta IV Heavy launches with NROL-91". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- ^ "Boeing and Lockheed Martin Complete United Launch Alliance Transaction" (Press release). Boeing. December 1, 2006. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013.
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