![]() First stage of a Delta II rocket, including an RS-27 | |
Country of origin | United States |
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Date | 1974 |
Designer | Rocketdyne |
Manufacturer | Rocketdyne |
Application | Booster |
Predecessor | H-1 |
Successor | RS-56 |
Status | Retired |
Liquid-fuel engine | |
Propellant | LOX / RP-1 |
Cycle | Gas-generator |
Configuration | |
Chamber | 1 |
Performance | |
Thrust, vacuum |
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Thrust, sea-level |
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Specific impulse, vacuum |
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Specific impulse, sea-level |
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Burn time |
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Dimensions | |
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Used in | |
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The RS-27 (Rocket System-27) was a liquid-propellant rocket engine developed in 1974 by Rocketdyne to replace the aging MB-3 in the Delta. Incorporating components of the venerable MB-3 and the H-1 designs, the RS-27 was a modernized version of the basic design used for two decades. It was used to power the first stage of the Delta 2000, 3000, 5000, and the first model of the Delta II, the Delta 6000.
The RS-27 was a modified Rocketdyne H-1 built to power the first stage of the Saturn I and Saturn IB and replaced the MB-3 engine that had been used on previous versions of the Delta launcher. NASA had a large supply of surplus H-1 engines in the early 1970s, as the Apollo program was ending. [2] [3] In addition to its main engine, the RS-27 included two vernier engines to provide vehicle roll control during flight. [4] RS-27 was later developed into the RS-27A and RS-56. [5] [6]
The RS-27A is a liquid-fuel rocket engine developed in 1980s by Rocketdyne for use on the first stage of the Delta II and Delta III launch vehicles. It provides 1.05 meganewtons (240,000 lbf) of thrust burning RP-1 and LOX in a gas-generator cycle. The engine is a modified version of its predecessor, the RS-27; [7] its thrust nozzle has been extended to increase its area ratio from 8:1 to 12:1, which provides greater efficiency at altitude.
The RS-27A main engine is neither restartable nor throttleable. In addition to its main engine, it includes two vernier engines to provide vehicle roll control during flight. [8] When used as the main booster propulsion system for the Delta II family of launch vehicles, has an operational duration of 265 seconds. The last RS-27A engine was used for the ICESat-2 launch on 15 September, 2018.
Rocketdyne was an American rocket engine design and production company headquartered in Canoga Park, in the western San Fernando Valley of suburban Los Angeles, in southern California.
Delta II was an expendable launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas, and sometimes known as the Thorad Delta 1. Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family, derived directly from the Delta 3000, and entered service in 1989. There were two main variants, the Delta 6000 and Delta 7000, with the latter also having "Light" and "Heavy" subvariants. During its career, Delta II flew several notable payloads, including 24 Global Positioning System (GPS) Block II satellites, several dozen NASA payloads, and 60 Iridium communication satellites. 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. In the late 1990s, Delta II was developed further into the unsuccessful Delta III, which was in turn developed into the more capable and successful Delta IV, though the latter shares little heritage with the original Thor and Delta rockets.
The Delta rocket family was a versatile range of American rocket-powered expendable launch systems that provided space launch capability in the United States from 1960 to 2024. Japan also launched license-built derivatives from 1975 to 1992. More than 300 Delta rockets were launched with a 95% success rate. The series was phased out in favor of the Vulcan Centaur, with the Delta IV Heavy rocket's last launch occurring on April 9, 2024.
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