Engineering:Delta IV Heavy

Short description: Variant of the Delta IV space launch vehicle

Delta IV Heavy

Delta IV Heavy launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base
Function	Orbital heavy-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	United Launch Alliance
Country of origin	United States
Cost per launch	US$350 million NRO: US$440 million
Size
Height	72 m (236 ft)
Diameter	5 m (16 ft)
Width	15 m (49 ft)
Mass	733,000 kg (1,616,000 lb)
Stages	2+
Capacity
Payload to LEO	28,790 kg (63,470 lb)
Payload to GTO	14,220 kg (31,350 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Delta
Comparable	Long March 5 Falcon Heavy Proton-M
Launch history
Status	Production ended
Launch sites	Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B Vandenberg Air Force Base , SLC-6
Total launches	15
Successes	14
Partial failures	1
First flight	21 December 2004 (USA-181)
Last flight	22 June 2023 (NROL-68)
Notable payloads	EFT-1 NRO classified payloads Kennen Orion Parker Solar Probe
Boosters (CBC)
No. boosters	2
Length	40.8 m (134 ft)
Diameter	5.1 m (17 ft)
Empty mass	26,000 kg (57,000 lb)
Gross mass	226,400 kg (499,100 lb)
Propellant mass	200,400 kg (441,800 lb)
Engines	1 RS-68A
Thrust	3,140 kN (710,000 lbf)
Total thrust	6,280 kN (1,410,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	Sea level: 360 s (3.5 km/s) Vacuum: 412 s (4.04 km/s)
Burn time	242 seconds
Fuel	LH2 / LOX
First stage (CBC)
Length	40.8 m (134 ft)
Diameter	5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass	226,400 kg (499,100 lb)
Propellant mass	200,400 kg (441,800 lb)
Engines	1 RS-68A
Thrust	3,140 kN (710,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	Sea level: 360 s (3.5 km/s) Vacuum: 412 s (4.04 km/s)
Burn time	328 seconds
Fuel	LH2 / LOX
Second stage (DCSS)
Length	13.7 m (45 ft)
Diameter	5.1 m (17 ft)
Gross mass	30,700 kg (67,700 lb)
Propellant mass	27,220 kg (60,010 lb)
Engines	1 RL10-B-2
Thrust	110 kN (25,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	462 s (4.53 km/s)
Burn time	1125 seconds
Fuel	LH2 / LOX

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. It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance (ULA) and was first launched in 2004. ULA will retire the Delta IV Heavy in 2024. Future ULA launches will use the new Vulcan Centaur rocket. (As of June 2023), one flight remains.

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.

The launch vehicle uses three RS-68 engines, one in the central core and one in each booster. 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.

History

Delta IV Heavy for Exploration Flight Test-1

The Delta IV line of rockets was developed by Boeing. 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. 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 is an all liquid-fueled launch vehicle, consisting of an upper stage, one main booster and two strap-on boosters.

The first launch of 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 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.

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. 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.

Capabilities

Capacity of the Delta IV Heavy:

• Low Earth orbit (LEO), 200 km × 28.7°: 28,790 kg (63,470 lb)
• Low Earth orbit (ISS), 407 km × 51.6°: 25,980 kg (57,280 lb)
• Geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO): 14,220 kg (31,350 lb)
• Geosynchronous orbit (GEO): 6,750 kg (14,880 lb)
• Lunar transfer orbit (LTO): 10,000 kg (22,000 lb)
• Mars transfer orbit: 8,000 kg (18,000 lb)

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.

Comparable vehicles

Current:

• Long March 5 (geostationary transfer orbit)
• Long March 5B (low Earth orbit)
• Long March 7A (geostationary transfer orbit)
• Falcon Heavy
• Proton-M
• Vulcan Centaur
• Angara A5

In development:

• Ariane 6
• New Glenn

Retired or cancelled:

• Ariane 5 (retired)
• Atlas V Heavy (proposed, never developed)
• Saturn IB (retired)
• Titan III (retired)
• Titan IV (retired)

See also

• Heavy-lift launch vehicle
• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• Comparison of orbital rocket engines
• Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
• National Launch System, (1991–1993) study

External links

• Delta IV Booster Integration Another Step Toward First Orion Flight