Delta IV Heavy
Delta IV Heavy launches from Vandenberg
FunctionOrbital heavy-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerUnited Launch Alliance
Country of originUnited States
Cost per launchUS$350 million [1]
NRO: US$440 million
Cost per year2018
Size
Height72 m (236 ft)
Diameter5 m (16 ft)
Width270
Mass733,000 kg (1,616,000 lb)
Stages2+
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass28,790 kg (63,470 lb)
Payload to GTO
Mass14,220 kg (31,350 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyDelta IV
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sites
Total launches15
Success(es)14
Partial failure(s)1
First flight21 December 2004 (USA-181)
Last flight22 June 2023 (NROL-68)
Type of passengers/cargo
Boosters (CBC)
No. boosters2
Height40.8 m (134 ft)
Diameter5.1 m (17 ft)
Empty mass26,000 kg (57,000 lb)
Gross mass226,400 kg (499,100 lb)
Propellant mass200,400 kg (441,800 lb) [2]
Powered by1 RS-68A
Maximum thrust3,140 kN (710,000 lbf)
Total thrust6,280 kN (1,410,000 lbf)
Specific impulseSea level: 360 s (3.5 km/s)
Vacuum: 412 s (4.04 km/s)
Burn time242 seconds [3]
PropellantLH2 / LOX
First stage (CBC)
Height40.8 m (134 ft)
Diameter5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass226,400 kg (499,100 lb)
Propellant mass200,400 kg (441,800 lb)
Powered by1 RS-68A
Maximum thrust3,140 kN (710,000 lbf)
Specific impulseSea level: 360 s (3.5 km/s)
Vacuum: 412 s (4.04 km/s)
Burn time328 seconds
PropellantLH2 / LOX
Second stage (DCSS)
Height13.7 m (45 ft)
Diameter5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass30,700 kg (67,700 lb)
Propellant mass27,220 kg (60,010 lb)
Powered by1 RL10-B-2
Maximum thrust110 kN (25,000 lbf)
Specific impulse462 s (4.53 km/s)
Burn time1125 seconds
PropellantLH2 / LOX

The following is a list of Delta IV Heavy launches since 2004.

The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family and 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.[4][5] It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in 2004.[6]

Delta IV Heavy for Exploration Flight Test-1

About the Delta IV Heavy

The Delta IV Heavy consists of a central Common Booster Core (CBC), with two additional CBCs as liquid rocket boosters instead of the GEM-60 solid rocket motors used by the Delta IV Medium+ versions. At lift off, all three cores operate at full thrust, and 44 seconds later the center core throttles down to 55% to conserve fuel until booster separation. The boosters burn out at 242 seconds after launch and are separated as the core booster throttles back up to full thrust. The core burns out 86 seconds later, and the second stage completes the ascent to orbit.[3]

The rocket uses three RS-68 engines, one in the central core and one in each booster.[7]

On 24 September 2022, the last Delta IV flight from Vandenberg launched the NROL-91 mission from SLC-6.[8]

Launch statistics

1
2004
2010
2015
2020
  •   Failure
  •   Partial failure
  •   Success
  •   Scheduled

Launch history

Flight DatePayload [9]MassLaunch siteOutcome [9]
1 21 December 2004DemoSat, Sparkie / 3CS-1 and Ralphie / 3CS-2~13,228 pounds (6000 kilograms)Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BPartial failure[lower-alpha 1]
2 11 November 2007DSP-23 Defense Support Program11,574 pounds (5,250 kilograms)Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
3 18 January 2009Orion 6 / Mentor 4 (USA-202 / NROL-26)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
4 21 November 2010Orion 7 / Mentor 5 (USA-223 / NROL-32)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
5 20 January 2011KH-11 Kennen 15 (USA-224 / NROL-49)<37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms) Vandenberg, SLC-6Success
6 29 June 2012Orion 8 / Mentor 6 (USA-237 / NROL-15)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
7 26 August 2013KH-11 Kennen 16 (USA-245 / NROL-65)<37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms)Vandenberg, SLC-6Success
8 5 December 2014Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1)46,297 pounds (21,000 kilograms) [10][lower-alpha 2]Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
9 11 June 2016Orion 9 / Mentor 7 (USA-268 / NROL-37)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
10 12 August 2018Parker Solar Probe[lower-alpha 3]1,510 pounds (685 kilograms)Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
11 19 January 2019NROL-71ClassifiedVandenberg, SLC-6Success
12 11 December 2020 Orion 10 / Mentor 8 (USA-268/ NROL-44)[11][12]Classified Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
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)[13] Classified Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B Success

Future launches

Missions thirteen through sixteen were announced by the National Reconnaissance Office.[14] For the final five missions (12-16) including modifications, ULA was awarded US$2.2 billion, or US$440 million per launch.[15] This can be compared with the Falcon Heavy launch price of $90M to $150M. As of June 2023, only one remains before ULA retires the Delta IV Heavy.[13]

Flight Date Launch site Payload [9] Mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
16 1 March 2024[16] CCSFS, SLC-37B NROL-70 Classified GEO US NRO Planned
Reconnaissance satellite, final flight of the Delta rocket family.

Notes

  1. ↑ CBCs underperformed, lower orbit than planned
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ Star 48BV upper stage

References

  1. ↑ "ULA CEO Tory Bruno". Twitter. Retrieved 12 February 2018. Delta IV Heavy goes for about $350M. That's current and future, after the retirement of both Delta IV Medium and Delta II.
  2. ↑ "Delta IV Heavy". Spaceflight 101. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Delta IV Payload Planner's Guide, June 2013" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "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.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ "Boeing Delta IV Heavy Achieves Major Test Objectives in First Flight" Archived 19 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Boeing, 2004, accessed 22 March 2012
  7. ↑ "Delta 4-Heavy likely heading for geosynchronous orbit with top secret payload". Spaceflight Now. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  8. ↑ Graham, William (24 September 2022). "Last West Coast Delta IV Heavy launches with NROL-91". NASASpaceflight.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Krebs, Gunter. "Delta-4". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  10. ↑ "NASA Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 PRESS KIT" (PDF). NASA. December 2014. p. 12. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  11. ↑ "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  12. ↑ "Launch Mission Execution Forecast". 45th Weather Squadron - Patrick Air Force Base. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  13. 1 2 Clark, Stephen (22 June 2023). "Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifts off with NRO spy satellite". Spaceflightnow. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  14. ↑ Ray, Justin (7 June 2016). "Surveillance satellite launching Thursday atop Delta IV Heavy rocket". Spaceflight Now.
  15. ↑ "Air Force awards ULA US$1.18 billion contract to complete five Delta IV Heavy NRO missions". spacenews.com. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  16. ↑ "NSSL Phase 3 - Industry Day". Space Systems Command. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
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