![]() Launch of a Delta 4925 | |
Has use | Launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas |
Country of origin | United States |
Cost per launch | US$34.22 million in 1985 (4925 variant) [1] (US$79.99 million in 2018) |
Size | |
Height | 34 m (112 ft) |
Diameter | 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in) |
Mass | 200,740 kg (442,560 lb) |
Stages | 2 or 3 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO | |
Mass | 3,400 kg (7,500 lb) |
Payload to GTO | |
Mass | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Family | Delta |
Comparable | Delta 5000,Delta II |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Launch sites | Cape Canaveral SLC-17 Vandenberg AFB SLC-2W |
Total launches | 2 |
Success(es) | 2 |
First flight | 28 August 1989 |
Last flight | 12 June 1990 |
Boosters –Castor 4A | |
No. boosters | 9 |
Height | 9.12 m (29.9 ft) |
Diameter | 1.02 m (3 ft 4 in) |
Empty mass | 1,529 kg (3,371 lb) |
Gross mass | 11,743 kg (25,889 lb) |
Powered by | Solid |
Maximum thrust | 478.3 kN (107,500 lbf) |
Specific impulse |
|
Burn time | 56 s |
First stage –Thor/Delta ELT | |
Height | 22.4 m (73 ft) |
Diameter | 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in) |
Empty mass | 4,059 kg (8,949 lb) |
Gross mass | 84,067 kg (185,336 lb) |
Powered by | 1 MB-3 |
Maximum thrust | 760.6 kN (171,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse |
|
Burn time | 222 s |
Propellant | LOX / RP-1 |
Second stage –Delta K | |
Height | 5.89 m (19.3 ft) |
Diameter | 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in) |
Empty mass | 950 kg (2,090 lb) |
Gross mass | 6,954 kg (15,331 lb) |
Powered by | 1 AJ10-118K |
Maximum thrust | 43.6 kN (9,800 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 319 s |
Burn time | 431 s |
Propellant | N2O4 /Aerozine 50 |
Third stage –PAM-D (optional) | |
Height | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) |
Diameter | 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in) |
Empty mass | 128 kg (282 lb) |
Gross mass | 2,137 kg (4,711 lb) |
Powered by | Star 48B |
Maximum thrust | 66 kN (15,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 286 s |
Burn time | 87 s |
The Delta 4000 series was an American expendable launch system which was used to conduct two orbital launches in 1989 and 1990. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets. Although several variants were put forward,only the Delta 4925 was launched. The designations used a four digit numerical code to store information on the configuration of the rocket. It was built from a combination of spare parts left over from earlier Delta rockets,which were being retired,and parts from the Delta II 6000-series,which was just entering service.
The first stage was the MB-3-III powered Extended Long Tank Thor,previously flown on the 1000-series. Nine Castor-4A solid rocket boosters were attached to increase thrust at lift-off,replacing the less powerful Castor-4 boosters used on the 3000 series. The Delta-K was used as a second stage. A Star-48B PAM-D was used as a third stage,to boost payloads into geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Both Delta 4000 launches occurred from Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral. The first launched Marco Polo 1 for BSkyB,and the second launched INSAT 1D for the Indian Space Research Organisation. Both were successful. [2] [3] [4]
Delta II was an expendable launch system,originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family and entered service in 1989. Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000,and the two later Delta 7000 variants. The rocket flew its final mission ICESat-2 on 15 September 2018,earning the launch vehicle a streak of 100 successful missions in a row,with the last failure being GPS IIR-1 in 1997.
Delta is an American versatile family of expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. Japan also launched license-built derivatives from 1975 to 1992. More than 300 Delta rockets have been launched with a 95% success rate. Only the Delta IV Heavy rocket remains in use as of November 2020. Delta rockets are currently manufactured and launched by the United Launch Alliance.
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The Delta M or Thor-Delta M was an American expendable launch system used for thirteen orbital launches between 1968 and 1971. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets.
The Delta N or Thor-Delta N was an American expendable launch system used for nine orbital launches between 1968 and 1972. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets,and the last Delta to be given an alphabetical designation - subsequent rockets were designated using a four digit numerical code.
The Delta 0100 series,also Delta 100,0300 or 300 series,was an American expendable launch system which conducted orbital launches between 1968 and 1972. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets,and the first to be designated using a four digit numerical code. Two variants were flown,individually designated Delta 0300 and Delta 0900.
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