A Delta III rocket
| |
| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Boeing (design, manufacturing and assembly) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (extended kerosene tank and H-II-based upper stage manufacturing) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Diameter | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Mass | 301,450 kg (664,580 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 8,290 kg (18,280 lb)[1] |
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass | 3,810 kg (8,400 lb)[1] |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Delta |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | SLC-17, Cape Canaveral |
| Total launches | 3 |
| Success(es) | 0 |
| Failure(s) | 2 |
| Partial failure(s) | 1 |
| First flight | August 26, 1998 |
| Last flight | August 23, 2000 |
| Boosters | |
| No. boosters | 9GEM 46 |
| Maximum thrust | 628.3 kN (141,200 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 273 seconds (2.68 km/s) |
| Burn time | 75 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB mix, similar to PBAN |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 1Rocketdyne RS-27A |
| Maximum thrust | 1,085.79 kN (244,100 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 254 seconds (2.49 km/s) |
| Burn time | 260 seconds[2] |
| Propellant | LOX/RP-1 |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1Pratt & Whitney RL10B |
| Maximum thrust | 110.03 kN (24,740 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 462 seconds (4.53 km/s)[3] |
| Burn time | 700 seconds[2] |
| Propellant | LOX/LH2 |
| Third stage (Optional) | |
| Powered by | 1Thiokol Star 48B |
| Maximum thrust | 66.723 kN (15,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 286 seconds (2.80 km/s) |
| Burn time | 87 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB |
Delta III was an expendable launch vehicle made by Boeing. The first Delta III launch was on August 26, 1998.[4] Of its three flights, the first two were failures, and the third, though declared successful, reached the low end of its targeted orbit range and carried only a dummy (inert) payload. The Delta III could deliver up to 8,400 pounds (3,800 kilograms) to geostationary transfer orbit, twice the payload of its predecessor, the Delta II.[1] Under the four-digit designation system from earlier Delta rockets, the Delta III is classified as the Delta 8930.
1
| Flight Number | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 27, 1998 01:17 |
Delta III 8930 | CCAFS SLC-17B | Galaxy 10 | 700 kg (1,500 lb) | GTO | PanAmSat / Intelsat | Failure |
| Maiden flight of Delta III. Destroyed by range safety after control problems and depletion of hydraulic fluid. Communications satellite. | ||||||||
| 2 | May 5, 1999 01:00 |
Delta III 8930 | CCAFS SLC-17B | Orion 3 | 4,300 kg (9,500 lb) | GTO | Loral | Failure[5] |
| Second stage engine failure. Payload placed in low Earth orbit, declared too low and Loral called satellite lost. Communications satellite. | ||||||||
| 3 | August 23, 2000 11:05 |
Delta III 8930 | CCAFS SLC-17B | DM-F3 | 4,383 kg (9,663 lb) | GTO | US Air Force | Partial failure[6] |
| Reached lower than planned orbit. Final flight of Delta III. DemoSat. | ||||||||
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