Delta IV Heavy

The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family. It is the world's third highest-capacity launch vehicle in operation, behind NASA's Space Launch System and SpaceX's Falcon Heavy and closely followed by CASC's Long March 5.[4][5] It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance (ULA) and was first launched in 2004.[6] ULA will retire the Delta IV Heavy in 2024.[7] As of June 2023, one flight remains.

Delta IV Heavy
Delta IV Heavy launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base
FunctionOrbital heavy-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerUnited Launch Alliance
Country of originUnited States
Cost per launchUS$350 million [1]
NRO: US$440 million
Size
Height72 m (236 ft)
Diameter5 m (16 ft)
Width15 m (49 ft)
Mass733,000 kg (1,616,000 lb)
Stages2+
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass28,790 kg (63,470 lb)
Payload to GTO
Mass14,220 kg (31,350 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyDelta
Comparable
Launch history
StatusProduction ended
Launch sites
Total launches15
Success(es)14
Partial failure(s)1
First flight21 December 2004 (USA-181)
Last flight22 June 2023 (NROL-68)
Type of passengers/cargo
Boosters (CBC)
No. boosters2
Height40.8 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]
Powered by1 RS-68A
Maximum 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]
PropellantLH2 / LOX
First stage (CBC)
Height40.8 m (134 ft)
Diameter5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass226,400 kg (499,100 lb)
Propellant mass200,400 kg (441,800 lb)
Powered by1 RS-68A
Maximum 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
PropellantLH2 / LOX
Second stage (DCSS)
Height13.7 m (45 ft)
Diameter5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass30,700 kg (67,700 lb)
Propellant mass27,220 kg (60,010 lb)
Powered by1 RL10-B-2
Maximum thrust110 kN (25,000 lbf)
Specific impulse462 s (4.53 km/s)
Burn time1125 seconds
PropellantLH2 / 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 two side 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]

The launch vehicle uses three RS-68 engines, one in the central core and one in each booster.[8] On the last seconds of countdown, the hydrogen fuel flows through the engines and upwards along the booster body, and after the ignition that hydrogen inflames, making the characteristic fireball and charred look of the booster.[9]

History
Delta IV Heavy for Exploration Flight Test-1

The Delta IV line of rockets was developed by McDonnell Douglas. The program was later transferred to United Launch Alliance. The Delta IV Heavy is the most powerful member of the line, which also includes the smaller Delta IV Medium.[10] 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).[10] It is an all liquid-fueled launch vehicle, consisting of an upper stage, one main booster and two strap-on boosters.[10]

The first launch of the Delta IV Heavy in 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.[11] 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 (NRO) through 2013.

In December 2014, the Delta IV Heavy was used to launch an un-crewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft, designated Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1). After several delays, the mission was successfully launched at 12:05 UTC on 5 December 2014.[12]

On 12 August 2018, the Delta IV Heavy with an additional Star 48BV third stage was used to launch the Parker Solar Probe into an elliptical heliocentric orbit.[13] 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.[14]

Capabilities

Capacity of the Delta IV Heavy:

The Delta IV Heavy's total mass at launch is 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.[18]

Launch history
Flight DatePayload [19]MassLaunch siteOutcome [19]
1 21 December 2004DemoSat, Sparkie / 3CS-1 and Ralphie / 3CS-2~13,228 pounds (6000 kilograms)Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BPartial failure[lower-alpha 1]
2 11 November 2007DSP-23 Defense Support Program11,574 pounds (5,250 kilograms)Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
3 18 January 2009Orion 6 / Mentor 4 (USA-202 / NROL-26)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
4 21 November 2010Orion 7 / Mentor 5 (USA-223 / NROL-32)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
5 20 January 2011KH-11 Kennen 15 (USA-224 / NROL-49)<37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms) Vandenberg, SLC-6Success
6 29 June 2012Orion 8 / Mentor 6 (USA-237 / NROL-15)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
7 26 August 2013KH-11 Kennen 16 (USA-245 / NROL-65)<37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms)Vandenberg, SLC-6Success
8 5 December 2014Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1)46,297 pounds (21,000 kilograms) [20][lower-alpha 2]Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
9 11 June 2016Orion 9 / Mentor 7 (USA-268 / NROL-37)ClassifiedCape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
10 12 August 2018Parker Solar Probe[lower-alpha 3]1,510 pounds (685 kilograms)Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
11 19 January 2019NROL-71ClassifiedVandenberg, SLC-6Success
12 11 December 2020 Orion 10 / Mentor 8 (USA-268/ NROL-44)[21][22]Classified Cape Canaveral, SLC-37BSuccess
13 26 April 2021 KH-11 Kennen 17 (NROL-82) Classified Vandenberg, SLC-6 Success
14 24 September 2022 KH-11 Kennen 18 (NROL-91) Classified Vandenberg, SLC-6 Success
15 22 June 2023 Orion 11 / Mentor 9 (NROL-68)[23] Classified Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B Success

Future launches

Missions thirteen through sixteen were announced by the National Reconnaissance Office.[24] For the final four missions (13-16) including modifications, ULA was awarded US$2.2 billion, or US$440 million per launch.[25] This can be compared with the Falcon Heavy launch price of $90M to $150M. As of June 2023, only one remains before ULA retires the Delta IV Heavy.[23]

Flight Date Launch site Payload [19] Mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
16 1 March 2024[26] CCSFS, SLC-37B NROL-70 Classified GEO US NRO Planned
Reconnaissance satellite, final flight of the Delta rocket family.
  1. CBCs underperformed, lower orbit than planned
  2. 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.
  3. Star 48BV upper stage

Comparable vehicles

Current:

In development:

Retired or cancelled:

See also

References
  1. "ULA CEO Tory Bruno". twitter.com. Retrieved 12 February 2018. Delta IV Heavy goes for about US$350M. That's current and future, after the retirement of both Delta IV Medium and Delta II.
  2. "Delta IV Heavy". Spaceflight 101. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. "Delta IV Payload Planner's Guide, June 2013" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  4. "Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 26 July 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. Chang, Kenneth (6 February 2018). "Falcon Heavy, SpaceX's Big New Rocket, Succeeds in Its First Test Launch". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 February 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 19 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Boeing, 2004, accessed 22 March 2012
  7. Erwin, Sandra (24 August 2020). "ULA to launch Delta 4 Heavy for its 12th mission, four more to go before rocket is retired". SpaceNews. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  8. "Delta 4-Heavy likely heading for geosynchronous orbit with top secret payload". Spaceflight Now. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  9. Eric Berger (21 January 2019). "This massive rocket creates a fireball as it launches, and that's by design". Ars Technica. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  10. "Delta IV Heavy: Powerful Launch Vehicle". Space.com. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  11. "Delta 4-Heavy investigation identifies rocket's problem". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  12. "Second Stage Ignites as First Stage Falls Away". 5 December 2014. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  13. "Delta IV Parker Solar Probe". ulalaunch.com. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  14. "ULA's Delta rocket assembly line falls silent – Spaceflight Now".
  15. "Delta IV Launch Services User's Guide – June 2013" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. 4 June 2013. pp. 2–10, 5–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  16. "Delta IV Data Sheet". Space Launch Report. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  17. Ray, Justin (7 December 2004). "The Heavy: Triple-sized Delta 4 rocket to debut". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 11 December 2004. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  18. "Live coverage: Launch of Delta 4-Heavy rocket set for early Saturday". Spaceflight Now. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  19. Krebs, Gunter. "Delta-4". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  20. "NASA Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 PRESS KIT" (PDF). NASA. December 2014. p. 12. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  21. "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  22. "Launch Mission Execution Forecast". 45th Weather Squadron - Patrick Air Force Base. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  23. Clark, Stephen (22 June 2023). "Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifts off with NRO spy satellite". Spaceflightnow. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  24. Ray, Justin (7 June 2016). "Surveillance satellite launching Thursday atop Delta IV Heavy rocket". Spaceflight Now.
  25. "Air Force awards ULA US$1.18 billion contract to complete five Delta IV Heavy NRO missions". spacenews.com. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  26. "NSSL Phase 3 - Industry Day". Space Systems Command. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
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