United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy is presently scheduled to make its closing flight on Thursday, March twenty eighth, from Area Launch Advanced 37B at Cape Canaveral Area Drive Station in Florida.
This closing flight will conclude simply over three many years of missions for the Delta IV household of launch automobiles, which primarily despatched labeled payloads for america authorities into varied orbits from its launch pads in Florida and California.
Like most of its earlier missions, this mission will ship a labeled payload to orbit for the Nationwide Reconnaissance Workplace.
The reliable Delta — one of many pillars in American rocketry for 60+ years — is getting ready for its closing mission that may carry a nationwide safety payload to serve and defend the U.S. and our allies.#DeltaIVHeavy #NROL70 preview: https://t.co/7HC1Opbp20#TheDeltaFinale pic.twitter.com/43fvzKPxz4
— ULA (@ulalaunch) March 12, 2024
The Delta IV Heavy consists of three Delta rockets strapped collectively, every powered by a single Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68A engine, which makes use of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The heavy variant of the rocket flew 16 instances, together with the primary Orion capsule take a look at flight. The Delta IV household has launched three variants: the Delta IV Medium, Delta IV Medium+, and Delta IV Heavy.
The Delta IV consisted of only a single frequent core booster that flew simply thrice. The Delta IV Medium+ added to its thrust capabilities by strapping on anyplace between two and 4 strong rocket boosters. The Medium+ variant took its closing flight in August 2019, launching a GPS satellite tv for pc for the U.S. Air Drive after a complete of 29 launches.
Delta IV Medium on its closing flight (Credit score Richard Angle)
The rocket was designed to be a part of the U.S. Air Drive’s Developed Expendable Launch Car program and didn’t see any actual competitors for contracts till SpaceX certified the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, which was capable of compete for contracts at a a lot decrease value. This finally led to the retirement of the Delta IV and the introduction of the Vulcan rocket, which is less expensive and might fly in lots of configurations to suit mission necessities.
This closing launch of the Delta IV Heavy will mark the top of an period for United Launch Alliance because it transitions to the far more versatile Vulcan rocket and rumors of its eventual sale, doubtlessly to Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin launch firm, which is gearing up for the maiden launch of its personal big rocket, New Glenn.
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United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy readies for closing flight