Delta 1910 launchingOSO-8 | |
| Function | Expendable launch system |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | CanaveralLC-17B VandenbergSLC-2W |
| Total launches | 8 |
| Success(es) | 8 |
| First flight | 23 September 1972 |
| Last flight | 21 June 1975 |
TheDelta 1000 series (also referred to asStraight-Eight) was an Americanexpendable launch system which was used to conduct eightorbital launches between 1972 and 1975. It was a member of theDelta family of rockets. Several variants existed, differentiated by afour digit numerical code. Delta 1000 was developed byMcDonnell Douglas company (now —Boeing) in 1972.
The same first stage andboosters were used on all variants. The first stage was anExtended Long Tank Thor, a further stretched version of theLong Tank Thor used on earlier versions, itself derived from theThor missile. Four, six or nineCastor-2solid rocket boosters were attached to increase thrust at lift-off. These improvements permitted the Delta 1000 series to lift 1,835 kg (4,045 lbs) to LEO or 635 kg (1,400 lbs) to GTO.
The nickname "Straight-Eight" comes from the fact that its second stage variants had the same 8 ft. (2.4 m) diameter as the first stage; previous Delta second stages were smaller in diameter. Two different second stages were flown, depending on the variant:
Some flights used a third stage, either the ThiokolStar-37D orStar-37E, for launches beyondlow Earth orbit. One probe launched by the Delta 1000 series, Delta 1913, wasExplorer 49 that was placed into lunar orbit on 10 June 1973.
Delta 1000 rockets were launched fromSpace Launch Complex 2W atVandenberg AFB andLaunch Complex 17B atCape Canaveral. All eight (1972–1975) launches were successful.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
| S/N | Version | Date | Location | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta 90 | Delta-1604 | 23.09.1972 | LC-17B | Explorer 47 |
| Delta 92 | Delta-1914 | 10.11.1972 | LC-17B | Anik A1 |
| Delta 94 | Delta-1914 | 20.04.1973 | LC-17B | Anik A2 |
| Delta 95 | Delta-1913 | 10.06.1973 | LC-17B | Explorer 49 |
| Delta 97 | Delta-1604 | 26.10.1973 | LC-17B | Explorer 50 |
| Delta 99 | Delta-1900 | 16.12.1973 | SLC-2W | Explorer 51 |
| Delta 109 | Delta-1410 | 09.04.1975 | SLC-2W | GEOS 3 |
| Delta 112 | Delta-1910 | 21.06.1975 | LC-17B | OSO 8 |
The JapaneseN-II andH-I launch vehicles used the same Extended Long Tank Thor first stage. For the second stage, the N-II used the Delta-F while the H-I had the JapaneseLE-5 engine which used liquid hydrogen and oxygen.[8][9]
This rocketry article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |