Delta IV Heavy

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.[4][5] It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in 2004.[6]

Delta IV Heavy
Delta IV Heavy launches from Vandenberg AFB
FunctionOrbital heavy-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerUnited Launch Alliance
Country of originUnited States
Cost per launch$350 million [1] NRO: $440 million
Cost per year2018
Size
Height72 m (236 ft)
Diameter5 m (16 ft)
Width15 m (49 ft)
Mass733,000 kg (1,616,000 lb)
Stages2+
Capacity
Payload to LEO28,790 kg (63,470 lb)
Payload to GTO14,220 kg (31,350 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyDelta IV
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sites
Total launches11
Successes10
Partial failures1
First flight21 December 2004 (USA-181)
Last flight19 January 2019 (NROL-71)
Notable payloads
Boosters (CBC)
No. boosters2
Length40.8 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]
Engines1 RS-68A
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]
FuelLH2 / LOX
First stage (CBC)
Length40.8 m (134 ft)
Diameter5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass226,400 kg (499,100 lb)
Propellant mass200,400 kg (441,800 lb)
Engines1 RS-68A
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
FuelLH2 / LOX
Second stage (DCSS)
Length13.7 m (45 ft)
Diameter5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass30,700 kg (67,700 lb)
Propellant mass27,220 kg (60,010 lb)
Engines1 RL10-B-2
Thrust110 kN (25,000 lbf)
Specific impulse462 s (4.53 km/s)
Burn time1,125 seconds
FuelLH2 / LOX

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]

History
Delta IV Heavy for EFT-1, 2014

The Delta IV line of rockets was developed by McDonnell Douglas, later United Launch Alliance. The Delta IV Heavy is the most powerful member of the line, which also includes the smaller Delta IV Medium.[7] The Delta IV Heavy can lift 28,370 kg (62,540 lbs) to low Earth orbit and 13,810 kg (30,440 lbs) to geostationary transfer orbit.[7] It is an all liquid-fueled rocket, consisting of an upper stage, one main booster and two strap-on boosters.[7]

The first launch of the Delta IV Heavy in 2004 carried a boilerplate payload and failed to reach intended orbit. Cavitation in the liquid-oxygen propellant lines caused shutdown of both boosters eight seconds early, and the core engine nine seconds early; this resulted in a lower staging velocity for which the second stage was unable to compensate. The payload was left in a lower than intended orbit.[8] Its first operational payload was the DSP-23 satellite, successfully launched in 2007; it was then used to launch a further five visual and electronic reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office through 2013.

In December 2014, the Delta IV Heavy was used to launch an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft, designated EFT-1. After several delays on December 4,[9] the mission was successfully launched at 12:05 UTC on December 5.[10]

Capability

Capacity of the Delta IV Heavy:

  • Low Earth orbit (LEO), 200 km × 28.7°: 28,790 kilograms (63,470 lb) [11]
  • Low Earth orbit (ISS), 407 km × 51.6°: 25,980 kilograms (57,280 lb) [12]
  • Geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO): 14,220 kilograms (31,350 lb)[11]
  • Geosynchronous orbit (GEO): 6,750 kilograms (14,880 lb) [11]
  • Lunar transfer orbit (LTO): 10,000 kg (22,000 lb)
  • Mars transfer orbit: 8,000 kg (17,600 lb)[13]

The Delta IV Heavy's total mass at launch is approximately 733,000 kilograms (1,616,000 lb).

Launch history
Main article: List of Thor and Delta launches
Flight No. DatePayload[14]MassLaunch siteOutcome[14]
1 December 21, 2004DemoSat, Sparkie / 3CS-1 and Ralphie / 3CS-2~6000 kgCape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Partial failure[lower-alpha 2]
2 November 11, 2007DSP-23 Defense Support Program5,250 kgCape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Success
3 January 18, 2009Orion 6 / Mentor 4 (USA-202 / NROL-26)ClassifiedCape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Success
4 November 21, 2010Orion 7 / Mentor 5 (USA-223 / NROL-32)ClassifiedCape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Success
5 January 20, 2011KH-11 Kennen 15 (USA-224 / NROL-49)<17,000 kgVandenberg[lower-alpha 3]Success
6 June 29, 2012Orion 8 / Mentor 6 (USA-237 / NROL-15)ClassifiedCape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Success
7 August 28, 2013KH-11 Kennen 16 (USA-245 / NROL-65)<17,000 kgVandenberg[lower-alpha 3]Success
8 December 05, 2014Orion capsule Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1)~21,000 kg[15][lower-alpha 4]Cape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Success
9 June 11, 2016Orion 9 / Mentor 7 (USA-268 / NROL-37)ClassifiedCape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Success
10 August 12, 2018Parker Solar Probe[lower-alpha 5]685 kgCape Canaveral[lower-alpha 1]Success
11 January 19, 2019NROL-71ClassifiedVandenberg[lower-alpha 3]Success
  1. Launched from Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B
  2. CBCs underperformed, lower orbit than planned
  3. Launched from Vandenberg, SLC-6
  4. 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.
  5. Star 48BV upper stage

Upcoming launches

The following missions have been announced by the National Reconnaissance Office.[16][17] As of May 2020, these are the final five missions.[18]

For these missions including modifications, ULA has been awarded $2.2 billion, or $440 million per launch.[19]

Date (UTC)PayloadClientLaunch site
26 August 2020NROL-44NROCape Canaveral, SLC-37B
October 2020NROL-82NROVandenberg, SLC-6
H2 2022NROL-91NROVandenberg, SLC-6
H2 2022NROL-70NROCape Canaveral, SLC-37B
H2 2023NROL-68NROCape Canaveral, SLC-37B

Comparable vehicles

Current:

Development:

Retired or cancelled:

See also

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 July 26, 2014.
  3. "Delta IV Payload Planner's Guide, June 2013" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  4. "Mission Status Center". SpaceflightNow. Retrieved July 26, 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. "Falcon Heavy, SpaceX's Big New Rocket, Succeeds in Its First Test Launch". NYTimes. Retrieved Feb 6, 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 2012-04-19 at the Wayback Machine, Boeing, 2004, accessed March 22, 2012.
  7. "Delta IV Heavy: Powerful Launch Vehicle". Space.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  8. "Delta 4-Heavy investigation identifies rocket's problem". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  9. Bergin, Chris (2012-01-18). "EFT-1 set to receive Spring, 2014 launch date after contract negotiations". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  10. "Second Stage Ignites as First Stage Falls Away".
  11. "Delta IV Launch Services User's Guide" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. 2013-10-14. pp. 2–10, 5–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 14, 2013.
  12. "Delta IV Data Sheet". Space Launch Report. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  13. Ray, Justin (December 7, 2004). "The Heavy: Triple-sized Delta 4 rocket to debut". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on December 11, 2004. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  14. Krebs, Gunter. "Delta-4". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  15. "NASA Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 PRESS KIT" (PDF). NASA. December 2014. p. 12.
  16. Ray, Justin (June 7, 2016). "Surveillance satellite launching Thursday atop Delta 4-Heavy rocket". Spaceflight Now.
  17. http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/space/usmil-man.txt
  18. Henry, Caleb (21 August 2019). "ULA's Delta 4 Heavy down to final five missions". SpaceNews.
  19. "Air Force awards ULA $1.18 billion contract to complete five Delta 4 Heavy NRO missions". SpaceNews.com. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
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