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54-592: The Delta IV Heavy ( Delta 9250H ) was an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle , the largest type of the Delta IV family. It had the highest capacity of any operational launch vehicle in the world after the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011 until the Falcon Heavy debuted in 2018, and it was the world's third highest-capacity launch vehicle in operation at the time of its retirement in 2024. It

108-806: A 5 m payload fairing. Delta IV CBCs and DCSSs were integrated horizontally before being transported to the launchpad. In 2020, ULA announced retirement of the Delta IV after 5 more launches. The final flight occurred in April 2024. Each Atlas V launch vehicle is based on a Common Core Booster powered by one NPO Energomash RD-180 engine with two combustion chambers and a Centaur upper stage powered by one or two Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10A-4-2 engines. Up to five Aerojet Rocketdyne Graphite-Epoxy Motor solid rocket boosters can be added to increase vehicle performance, and two diameters of payload fairing are available. A three-digit naming convention

162-465: A competitive contract award to launch national security spacecraft was conducted between United Launch Alliance (ULA), Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (NGIS), Blue Origin , and SpaceX. Two providers were to be selected to launch spacecraft to a number of reference orbits. In October 2018, the USAF awarded development funding to ULA, NGIS, and Blue Origin to further the design of their rockets before

216-562: A contract under the EELV program to launch a GPS Block III satellite payload to MEO . The USAF began the process of competitively selecting the next generation NSSL vehicles in 2018. Announced performance requirements include: Category A payloads fit within a 4 m diameter payload envelope , category B payloads fit within a 5 m diameter payload envelope, and category C payloads require an extended 5 m diameter envelope. The USAF and United States Space Force (USSF) plan to use

270-413: A draft RFP for "Phase 3" of NSSL, which covers the five fiscal years 2025-2029. Unlike the earlier NSSL contracts, Phase 3 is divided into two "lanes". Lane 1 covers less demanding missions and is structured to encourage new launch providers. Lane 2 is more similar to Phase 2 and requires each provider to be able to handle all NSSL requirements. However, Lane 2 allows for up to three providers instead of just

324-647: A first launch of New Glenn in 2021. In the event, no phase 2 funding from the US government was forthcoming after August 2020 when ULA Vulcan and SpaceX were selected by the Air Force. Blue Origin is considered likely to continue building and testing New Glenn, in part since they were already privately funding development prior to the Air Force NSSL competition. Northrop Grumman was awarded US$ 792 million of phase 1 funding in 2018 for development of OmegA. OmegA

378-478: A rocket stage may be recovered while others are not. The Space Shuttle , for example, recovered and reused its solid rocket boosters , the Space Shuttle orbiter that also acted as a second stage, and the engines used by the core stage (the RS-25 , which was located at the back of the orbiter), however the fuel tank that the engines sourced fuel from, which was separate from the engines, was not reused. For example,

432-453: A subsequent competition for award to build the launch vehicles. SpaceX received none of this funding to develop their designs, as both the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy had completed development and were already flying. Blue Origin was awarded $ 500 million of phase 1 funding for further development of New Glenn as a potential competitor in future contracts. As of 2019, Blue Origin expected

486-595: Is a super heavy-lift rocket developed and produced by SpaceX. It has been certified for the NSSL program after the STP-2 launch completed on 25 June 2019, as confirmed by the commander of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Lt. Gen. Thompson. He clarified: "I certified them to compete last year" and "one of the requirements behind certification is to fly three missions." This requirement has been satisfied by

540-595: Is developing the first stage of the orbital New Glenn LV to be reusable, with first flight planned for no earlier than 2024. SpaceX has a new super-heavy launch vehicle under development for missions to interplanetary space . The SpaceX Starship is designed to support RTLS, vertical-landing and full reuse of both the booster stage and the integrated second-stage/large-spacecraft that are designed for use with Starship. Its first launch attempt took place in April 2023; however, both stages were lost during ascent. The fifth launch attempt ended with Booster 12 being caught by

594-463: Is the ballistic missile -shaped multistage rocket , but the term is more general and also encompasses vehicles like the Space Shuttle . Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pad , supported by a launch control center and systems such as vehicle assembly and fueling. Launch vehicles are engineered with advanced aerodynamics and technologies, which contribute to high operating costs. An orbital launch vehicle must lift its payload at least to

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648-801: Is used for the Atlas V configuration identification. The first digit represents the payload fairing diameter, either 4.2 meters (indicated by a 4) or 5.4 (indicated by a 5) meters. The second digit is for the number of solid rocket boosters (0 to 5) to be used, and the third digit the number of RL-10 engines on the Centaur upper stage (1 or 2). As an example, an Atlas V 551 has a 5.4-meter payload fairing, 5 SRBs, and 1 RL-10. In August 2021, ULA announced that Atlas V would be retired, and all 29 remaining launches had been sold. The last launch for NSSL happened on 30 July 2024. As of July 2024 , fifteen launches remain, all for non-DoD launches. The main features of

702-577: The Delta IV based around Common Booster Cores and the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage , while Lockheed Martin developed the Atlas V based around Common Core Boosters and the Centaur upper stage. In 2003, Boeing was found to be in possession of proprietary documents from Lockheed Martin. The USAF moved 7 launches from Delta IV to Atlas V. To end litigation and competition for a limited market, both companies agreed to form

756-640: The European Space Agency is responsible for the Ariane V , and the United Launch Alliance manufactures and launches the Delta IV and Atlas V rockets. Launchpads can be located on land ( spaceport ), on a fixed ocean platform ( San Marco ), on a mobile ocean platform ( Sea Launch ), and on a submarine . Launch vehicles can also be launched from the air . A launch vehicle will start off with its payload at some location on

810-568: The Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle launch system program, the initial program goal was to make government space launches more affordable and reliable , leading to the development of the Boeing Delta IV and Lockheed Martin Atlas V EELV families. These remained the primary launch vehicles for U.S. military satellites , and were later joined by the Falcon 9 developed by SpaceX . On 1 March 2019,

864-648: The Falcon Heavy test flight in February 2018, Arabsat-6A in April 2019, and the STP-2 launch in June 2019. Falcon Heavy has been certified for two Phase 1A reference orbits and as of 2019, "it's not certified for all of our most stressing national security space orbits," Thompson said. The USAF is working with SpaceX to mature their Falcon Heavy's design. As of December 2023, it has flown three classified national security flights: USSF-44, USSF-67, and USSF-52. In 2018,

918-745: The United Launch Alliance (ULA) joint venture. Each company has a 50% stake in ULA. Prior to 2012, the USAF was advancing another program, the Reusable Booster System and other follow-on technologies, and up to early 2012 issued contract awards for various aspects of it, before the program was cancelled in October 2012. In December 2012, the DoD announced a re-opening of the EELV-class launch vehicle market to competition while authorizing

972-444: The upper stage of the launch vehicle or launched to a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). A direct insertion places greater demands on the launch vehicle, while GTO is more demanding of the spacecraft. Once in orbit, launch vehicle upper stages and satellites can have overlapping capabilities, although upper stages tend to have orbital lifetimes measured in hours or days while spacecraft can last decades. Distributed launch involves

1026-472: The 2000s and launch vehicles with integrated distributed launch capability built in began development in 2017 with the Starship design. The standard Starship launch architecture is to refuel the spacecraft in low Earth orbit to enable the craft to send high-mass payloads on much more energetic missions. After 1980, but before the 2010s, two orbital launch vehicles developed the capability to return to

1080-486: The Delta IV Heavy on 21 December 2004 carried a boilerplate payload and was a partial failure. 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. Its first operational payload

1134-466: The Delta IV Medium+ versions. At lift-off, all three rocket engines would operate at full thrust, and 44 seconds later the central engine would throttle down to 55% to conserve fuel until the other two engines separate. The latter engines burn out at 242 seconds after launch and are separated as the central engine throttles back up to full thrust. The central engine burns out 86 seconds later, and

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1188-452: The EELV program in 1994, following many years of government-funded studies into improved systems and architecture. The intent was to replace legacy vehicles, including Delta II , Atlas II , and Titan IV . EELVs were to reduce costs by being based on standardized fairings, liquid core vehicles , upper stages, and solid rocket boosters . A Standard Payload Interface bus was also proposed as a way to save money and improve efficiency. Reducing

1242-472: The Falcon 9 in its Block 5 version include two stages , both powered by LOX and RP-1 , with nine Merlin 1D engines on the first stage and one Merlin 1D Vacuum engine on the second stage. This launcher features a reusable first stage and fairings, which lowers the cost per mission. GPS-IIIA USA-289 was the first NSSL-type B5 Falcon 9 launch. The launch occurred on December 23, 2018. The Falcon Heavy

1296-431: The USAF to proceed with a block buy of "up to" 36 boosters from ULA. At the same time, another 14 boosters were to be procured competitively beginning in 2015, with the initial launches to be performed in 2017. The USAF signed a contract at that time with SpaceX for two launches in 2014 and 2015 to serve as proving flights to support the certification process for the Falcon 9 v1.1 and Falcon Heavy . In April 2014, after

1350-595: The USSF selected SpaceX (F9 and FH) and ULA's yet-to-be-certified Vulcan Centaur to supply US military launch requirements in 2022–2027. New Glenn was considered for the first time in NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 bidding. Delta IV Medium flew with two or four SRBs on a single Common Booster Core . The DCSS had 4 m diameter and 5 m diameter versions, with matching diameter payload fairings. Delta IV CBCs and DCSSs were integrated horizontally before being transported to

1404-548: The accomplishment of a goal with multiple spacecraft launches. A large spacecraft such as the International Space Station can be constructed by assembling modules in orbit, or in-space propellant transfer conducted to greatly increase the delta-V capabilities of a cislunar or deep space vehicle. Distributed launch enables space missions that are not possible with single launch architectures. Mission architectures for distributed launch were explored in

1458-402: The award of two development agreements, the total amount was more than $ 3 billion. Boeing was awarded a contract for 19 out of the 28 launches; Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract for the other 9. Boeing received $ 1.38 billion, and Lockheed Martin received $ 650 million for the launches. Boeing and Lockheed Martin were each awarded US$ 500 million for the final phase of the bid. Boeing developed

1512-487: The booster stage of a launch vehicle. After 2010, SpaceX undertook a development program to acquire the ability to bring back and vertically land a part of the Falcon 9 orbital launch vehicle: the first stage . The first successful landing was done in December 2015, since 2017 rocket stages routinely land either at a landing pad adjacent to the launch site or on a landing platform at sea, some distance away from

1566-838: The boundary of space, approximately 150 km (93 mi) and accelerate it to a horizontal velocity of at least 7,814 m/s (17,480 mph). Suborbital vehicles launch their payloads to lower velocity or are launched at elevation angles greater than horizontal. Practical orbital launch vehicles use chemical propellants such as solid fuel , liquid hydrogen , kerosene , liquid oxygen , or hypergolic propellants . Launch vehicles are classified by their orbital payload capacity, ranging from small- , medium- , heavy- to super-heavy lift . Launch vehicles are classed by NASA according to low Earth orbit payload capability: Sounding rockets are similar to small-lift launch vehicles, however they are usually even smaller and do not place payloads into orbit. A modified SS-520 sounding rocket

1620-463: The cancellation of OmegA. ULA was awarded $ 967 million of phase 1 funding for further development of Vulcan Centaur as a potential competitor in future contracts. On 12 August 2019, ULA submitted Vulcan Centaur for phase 2 of the USAF's launch services competition. As of July 2024, Vulcan Centaur has completed one certification flight launch and another is left be fully certified for national security launches. On 12 August 2019, at least three of

1674-721: The cost of launches and ensuring national access to space were the two main goals of the USAF space launch/EELV program. Some of the reasons why assured access to space is a priority for the United States are stated in National Presidential Directive Number 40, which reads: Access to space through U.S. space transportation capabilities is essential to: The United States, therefore, must maintain robust, responsive, and resilient U.S. space transportation capabilities to assure access to space. Procurement of EELV boosters for military space launch

Delta IV Heavy - Misplaced Pages Continue

1728-418: The four companies submitted their final bids for the launch services competition. SpaceX bid the existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy , while Blue Origin was expected to bid New Glenn, ULA bid Vulcan Centaur, and NGIS's bid status was not reported. Blue Origin also filed a pre-award protest of the request for proposal arguing that the requirements were ambiguous. The US Department of the Air Force announced

1782-442: The ground. In contrast, reusable launch vehicles are designed to be recovered intact and launched again. The Falcon 9 is an example of a reusable launch vehicle. As of 2023, all reusable launch vehicles that were ever operational have been partially reusable, meaning some components are recovered and others are not. This usually means the recovery of specific stages, usually just the first stage, but sometimes specific components of

1836-528: The launch site (RTLS). Both the US Space Shuttle —with one of its abort modes —and the Soviet Buran had a designed-in capability to return a part of the launch vehicle to the launch site via the mechanism of horizontal-landing of the spaceplane portion of the launch vehicle. In both cases, the main vehicle thrust structure and the large propellant tank were expendable , as had been

1890-505: The launch site. The Falcon Heavy is similarly designed to reuse the three cores comprising its first stage. On its first flight in February 2018, the two outer cores successfully returned to the launch site landing pads while the center core targeted the landing platform at sea but did not successfully land on it. Blue Origin developed similar technologies for bringing back and landing their suborbital New Shepard , and successfully demonstrated return in 2015, and successfully reused

1944-465: The launches over the five-year period. The contract type for the phase 2 contracts is new for NSSL launches as it will be a "firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery" type of launch contract. The awards in August 2020 are a major part of "the transition of the national security launch program to take advantage of commercial innovation and private investments in launch vehicles." In 2023, USSF released

1998-805: The launches were contracted, SpaceX sued the United States Air Force, arguing that the RD-180 engines, produced in Russia by the government owned NPO Energomash and used by the Atlas V, violated sanctions against the Russian government. The USAF and SpaceX settled the lawsuit in Jan 2015 by opening up more launches to competitive bidding. The USAF certified the Falcon 9 in May 2015, and in 2016 SpaceX won

2052-451: The launchpad. The Delta IV Medium retired after the 22 August 2019 launch of a GPS-III satellite . The mission used a Delta IV M+(4,2) two SRBs, and a 4 m diameter DCSS and payload fairing, the final use of the 4 m fairing. The Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle used three Common Booster Cores (CBCs) each powered by a Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68A engine, a Delta Cryogenic Second Stage 5 m (DCSS) powered by an RL10 , and

2106-521: The next generation NSSL launch vehicles until at least 2030. See EELV_Secondary_Payload_Adapter (ESPA rings with radial ports) Since 2019 there have been four vehicles certified by the Department of Defense to conduct NSSL launches: Atlas V, Delta IV Heavy, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. Delta IV Medium was retired in August 2019 and Delta IV Heavy retired in April 2024. After a two-year solicitation and competition process in 2018–2020, in August 2020

2160-525: The program name was changed from EELV to National Security Space Launch (NSSL) to better reflect the growing commercial launch market and the changing nature of launch contracts, including the potential for reusable launch vehicles. The NSSL program launches the nation's most valuable military satellites; contracts to launch lower value payloads, such as those of the Space Test Program , are awarded using different methodologies. The USAF began

2214-440: The results of the approximately US$ 3.5 billion National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement on 7 August 2020. SpaceX and ULA were the two vendors selected via the competition to supply launches to the US military in the 2022–2026 timeframe. The US Space Force (USSF) plans 30–34 launches during these five fiscal years. ULA is expected to handle 60 percent of the launches while SpaceX will handle 40 percent of

Delta IV Heavy - Misplaced Pages Continue

2268-551: The same booster on a second suborbital flight in January 2016. By October 2016, Blue had reflown, and landed successfully, that same launch vehicle a total of five times. The launch trajectories of both vehicles are very different, with New Shepard going straight up and down, whereas Falcon 9 has to cancel substantial horizontal velocity and return from a significant distance downrange. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX also have additional reusable launch vehicles under development. Blue

2322-457: The second stage completed the ascent to orbit. The launch vehicle used three RS-68 engines, one in the central core and one in each booster. On the last seconds of countdown, the liquid hydrogen fuel would flow through the engines and upwards along the booster body, and after the ignition that hydrogen inflamed, creating the characteristic fireball and charred look of the booster. The Delta IV line of rockets were developed by Boeing. The program

2376-428: The standard procedure for all orbital launch vehicles flown prior to that time. Both were subsequently demonstrated on actual orbital nominal flights, although both also had an abort mode during launch that could conceivably allow the crew to land the spaceplane following an off-nominal launch. In the 2000s, both SpaceX and Blue Origin have privately developed a set of technologies to support vertical landing of

2430-502: The surface of the Earth. To reach orbit, the vehicle must travel vertically to leave the atmosphere and horizontally to prevent re-contacting the ground. The required velocity varies depending on the orbit but will always be extreme when compared to velocities encountered in normal life. Launch vehicles provide varying degrees of performance. For example, a satellite bound for Geostationary orbit (GEO) can either be directly inserted by

2484-496: The two providers of Phase 2. Proposals were due December 15, 2023 and awards are expected in mid to late 2024. Phase 3 Lane 1 awardees were SpaceX, Blue Origin and ULA. The vehicles being: Falcon 9 , New Glenn and Vulcan Centaur , respectively. Launch vehicle A launch vehicle is typically a rocket -powered vehicle designed to carry a payload (a crewed spacecraft or satellites ) from Earth's surface or lower atmosphere to outer space . The most common form

2538-402: Was a rocket design with two main solid stages, a cryogenic upper stage, and the possibility of additional solid-rocket strap-on boosters. As of 2019, the first flight has been stated by NGIS to be expected in 2021. In the event, no phase 2 funding from the US government was forthcoming after August 2020 when ULA Vulcan and SpaceX were selected by the Air Force. In 2020, Northrop Grumman announced

2592-682: Was initially scheduled for March 29, 2024 for the National Reconnaissance Office ; its actual launch date was April 9, 2024 after a postponement. Capacity of the Delta IV Heavy: The Delta IV Heavy's total mass at launch was approximately 733,000 kg (1,616,000 lb) and produce around 952,000 kg (2,099,000 lb) of thrust to power the rocket skyward at liftoff. Current: In development: Retired or cancelled: Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Started in 1994 as

2646-458: Was later transferred to United Launch Alliance . The Delta IV Heavy was the most powerful member of the line, which also includes the smaller Delta IV Medium. The Delta IV Heavy can lift 28,370 kg (62,550 lb) to low Earth orbit and 13,810 kg (30,450 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). It was an all liquid-fueled launch vehicle, consisting of an upper stage, one main booster and two strap-on boosters. The first launch of

2700-548: Was manufactured by United Launch Alliance (ULA) and was first launched in 2004. Delta IV Heavy was the last operating member of the Delta IV family, and its final flight was on 9 April 2024. It is succeeded by the Vulcan Centaur rocket. The Delta IV Heavy first stage consisted 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

2754-595: Was successfully launched at 12:05 UTC on 5 December 2014. On 12 August 2018, the Delta IV Heavy with an additional Star 48 BV third stage was used to launch the Parker Solar Probe into an elliptical heliocentric orbit . In May 2023, the final Delta IV Heavy core and boosters finished construction, officially ending Delta IV production and making way for the Vulcan launch vehicle. The final Delta IV heavy would launch on April 9, 2024. Delta IV's final flight

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2808-503: 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 (NRO) through 2013. In December 2014, the Delta IV Heavy was used to launch an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft , designated Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1). After several delays, the mission

2862-482: Was to evolve to more closely match commercial practice. The initial bids came from four major defense contractors: Lockheed Martin , Boeing , McDonnell Douglas , and Alliant Techsystems . Each of the bids included a variety of concepts. Boeing initially proposed using the RS-25 Space Shuttle main engine. In October 1998 two initial launch services contracts (known as Buy 1) were awarded. Along with

2916-596: Was used to place a 4-kilogram payload ( TRICOM-1R ) into orbit in 2018. Orbital spaceflight requires a satellite or spacecraft payload to be accelerated to very high velocity. In the vacuum of space, reaction forces must be provided by the ejection of mass, resulting in the rocket equation . The physics of spaceflight are such that rocket stages are typically required to achieve the desired orbit. Expendable launch vehicles are designed for one-time use, with boosters that usually separate from their payload and disintegrate during atmospheric reentry or on contact with

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