Friday, August 3, 2012

DELTA IV LAUNCH EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAM

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -- A Delta IV rocket lifts off from here Aug. 29. A Defense Satellite Communication System was placed into orbit by the rocket. It was the last of the system to be launched. (U.S. Air Force photo by Carleton Bailie)

 
FROM: AIR FORCE SPACE COMAND
AFSPC Milestone: First Delta IV Launch
Air Force Space Command Public Affairs

8/1/2012 - Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. -- As Air Force Space Command approaches its 30th Anniversary on 1 Sep, here is a significant milestone from the command's history...

On 1 November 2002, the first Delta IV was launched from Capt Canaveral AFS, Fla., placing a commercial communications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Boeing's Delta IV family of launch vehicles is designed for optimum performance for a wide range of flight profiles, and is capable of carrying payloads ranging from 9,327 lbs to 28,124 lbs to geosynchronous transfer orbit. The Delta IV Medium, Medium-Plus and Heavy configurations combine highly reliable, flight proven systems from Delta II and III, while incorporating the latest technology into a family of vehicles maximizing the use of common hardware.

The Delta IV is part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program, known as EELV, which is designed to improve our nation's access to space by making space launch vehicles more affordable and reliable. The program replaced the previous fleet of launch systems with two families of launch vehicles, each using common components and common infrastructure.

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