Engineering:Delta B

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Short description: Retired American expendable rocket

Delta B
Delta B prior to the launch of TIROS-8
FunctionExpendable launch system
Country of originUnited States
Capacity
Payload to LEO800 pounds (360 kg)[1]
Payload to Earth escape trajectory130 pounds (59 kg)[1]
Launch history
StatusRetired[2]
Launch sitesCape Canaveral LC-17[3]
Total launches9
Successes8
Failures1
First flight13 December 1962
Last flight19 March 1964

The Delta B, or Thor-Delta B was an American expendable launch system used for nine orbital launches between 1962 and 1964.[3] A derivative of the Thor-Delta, it was a member of the Delta family of rockets.[4]

The first stage was a Thor missile in the DM-21 configuration, and the second stage was the AJ10-118,[1] which was derived from the earlier Delta-A.[4] An Altair solid rocket motor was used as a third stage.[1]

All nine launches occurred from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17.[3] Most of the launches carried communications satellites, including Syncom-1[2] and Syncom-2.[2] Syncom-1 was intended to be the first satellite to be placed into a geosynchronous orbit, however the spacecraft malfunctioned prior to reaching this orbit.[5] Syncom-2 subsequently became the first geosynchronous satellite,[5] and was placed at 55° west of the Greenwich Meridian. The final launch failed due to third stage underperformance,[6] all other launches were successful.[3]

Delta B launches

Delta B was launched nine times:[3]

Date Ser. Launch site Payload
13.12.1962 Thor 355 Delta 15 LC-17A Relay 1
14.02.1963 Thor 358 Delta 16 LC-17B Syncom 1
03.04.1963 Thor 357 Delta 17 LC-17B Explorer 17
07.05.1963 Thor 366 Delta 18 LC-17B Telstar 2
19.06.1963 Thor 359 Delta 19 LC-17B TIROS 7
26.07.1963 Thor 370 Delta 20 LC-17A Syncom 2
21.12.1963 Thor 371 Delta 22 LC-17B TIROS 8
21.01.1964 Thor 373 Delta 23 LC-17B Relay 2
19.03.1964 Thor 391 Delta 24 LC-17A Explorer S-66 (failed)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Launch Vehicles of the National Launch Vehicle Program (PDF) (Technical report). Washington, D.C.: NASA. November 1962. p. 7. N63-10712. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wade, Mark. "Thor Delta B". http://www.astronautix.com/t/thordeltab.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Krebs, Gunter D.. "Delta B". https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/delta-b.htm. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Graham, William (September 13, 2018). "The evolution of Thor – Delta II prepares for swansong". NASASpaceflight.com: p. 2. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/09/evolution-thor-delta-swansong/2/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 NASA, The First 25 Years: 1958 - 1983 (PDF) (Technical report). Washington, D.C.: NASA. 1983. p. 38. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Satellite Rocket Failure Ends Winning Streak". Corpus Christi Times. Associated Press (Cape Kennedy): p. 1. March 19, 1964. https://www.newspapers.com/article/corpus-christi-times-satellite-rocket-fa/125615928/. 




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