List of Delta IV Heavy launches

Short description: Variant of the Delta 4 space launch vehicle

Delta IV Heavy

Delta IV Heavy launches from Vandenberg

Function| Orbital heavy-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer| United Launch Alliance
Country of origin| United States
Cost per launch| US$350 million [1]
NRO: US$440 million
Cost per year| 2018
Size
Height| 72 m (236 ft)
Diameter| 5 m (16 ft)
Width| 270
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 IV
Comparable|

* Long March 5
* Ariane 5
* Falcon Heavy
* Titan IV
* Proton-M

Launch history
Status| Active
Launch sites|

* Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , 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) [2]
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 [3]
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 following is a list of Delta IV Heavy launches since 2004.

The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family and the world's second highest-capacity rocket in operation, behind SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket and closely followed by CNSA's Long March 5 rocket.[4][5] It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in 2004.[6]

Delta IV Heavy for Exploration Flight Test-1

## Contents

* 1 About the Delta IV Heavy
* 2 Launch statistics
* 3 Launch history
* 3.1 Future launches
* 4 Notes
* 5 References

## About the Delta IV Heavy

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 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 rocket uses three RS-68 engines, one in the central core and one in each booster.[7]

On 24 September 2022, the last Delta IV flight from Vandenberg launched the NROL-91 mission from SLC-6.[8]

## Launch statistics

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## Launch history

Flight  | Date | Payload [9] | Mass | Launch site | Outcome [9]

|
|
|
|
|

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

### Future launches

Missions thirteen through sixteen were announced by the National Reconnaissance Office.[14] For the final five missions (12-16) including modifications, ULA was awarded US$2.2 billion, or US$440 million per launch.[15] This can be compared with the Falcon Heavy launch price of $90M to $150M. As of June 2023[update], only one remains before ULA retires the Delta IV Heavy.[13]

Flight  | Date  | Launch site  | Payload [9] | Mass  | Orbit  | Customer  | Launch
outcome

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

16  | 1 March 2024[16] | CCSFS, SLC-37B | NROL-70 | Classified  | GEO | US NRO  | Planned
Reconnaissance satellite, final flight of the Delta rocket family.

## Notes

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

## References

1. ↑ "ULA CEO Tory Bruno". https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/963109303291854848. "Delta IV Heavy goes for about $350M. That's current and future, after the retirement of both Delta IV Medium and Delta II."
2. ↑ "Delta IV Heavy". http://www.spaceflight101.com/delta-iv-heavy.html.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Delta IV Payload Planner's Guide, June 2013". United Launch Alliance. http://www.ulalaunch.com/uploads/docs/Launch_Vehicles/Delta_IV_Users_Guide_June_2013.pdf.
4. ↑ "Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d364/status.html. "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. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/06/science/falcon-heavy-spacex-launch.html. "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" Boeing, 2004, accessed 22 March 2012
7. ↑ "Delta 4-Heavy likely heading for geosynchronous orbit with top secret payload". Spaceflight Now. 26 August 2020. https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/26/delta-4-heavy-likely-heading-for-geosynchronous-orbit-with-top-secret-payload/.
8. ↑ Graham, William (24 September 2022). "Last West Coast Delta IV Heavy launches with NROL-91". NASASpaceflight.com. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/09/delta-iv-nrol-91/.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Krebs, Gunter. "Delta-4". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/delta-4.htm.
10. ↑ "NASA Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 PRESS KIT". NASA. December 2014. pp. 12. http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/JSC_OrionEFT-1_PressKit_accessible.pdf. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
11. ↑ "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. 27 October 2020. https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/.
12. ↑ "Launch Mission Execution Forecast". 45th Weather Squadron - Patrick Air Force Base. 30 October 2020. https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Weather/. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Clark, Stephen (June 22, 2023). "Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifts off with NRO spy satellite". Spaceflightnow. https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/06/22/delta-4-heavy-nrol-68-coverage/.
14. ↑ Ray, Justin (7 June 2016). "Surveillance satellite launching Thursday atop Delta IV Heavy rocket". Spaceflight Now. http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/06/07/surveillance-satellite-launching-thursday-atop-delta-4-heavy-rocket/.
15. ↑ "Air Force awards ULA US$1.18 billion contract to complete five Delta IV Heavy NRO missions". 30 September 2019. https://spacenews.com/air-force-awards-ula-1-18-billion-contract-to-complete-five-delta-4-heavy-nro-missions/.
16. ↑ "NSSL Phase 3 - Industry Day". Space Systems Command. 20 July 2023. https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/89e2561749e04077a264c9092898e8aa/download?&token=.

* v
* t
* e

Orbital launch systems

* List of orbital launch systems
* Comparison of orbital launch systems

Current|

* Angara
* A5
* Antares 230+
* Ariane 5
* Atlas V
* Delta IV Heavy
* Electron
* Epsilon
* Falcon 9 Block 5
* Falcon Heavy
* GSLV
* Mk II
* Mk III
* H-IIA
* H-IIB
* Hyperbola-1
* Jielong 1
* Kuaizhou
* 1
* 1A
* Kaituozhe 2
* Long March
* 2C
* 2D
* 2F
* 3A
* 3B/E
* 3C
* 4B
* 4C
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 11
* Minotaur
* I
* IV
* V
* C
* OS-M1
* Pegasus XL
* Proton-M
* PSLV
* Safir
* Shavit
* Simorgh
* Soyuz-2
* 2.1a / STA
* 2.1b / STB
* 2-1v
* Unha
* Vega
* Zenit
* 3SL
* 3SLB
* 3F
* Zhuque-1

In development|

* Angara 1.2
* Ariane 6
* Bloostar
* Cyclone-4M
* Eris
* Firefly Alpha
* Beta
* H3
* Hyperbola-2
* Irtysh
* Kuaizhou
* 11
* 21
* 31
* LauncherOne
* Long March
* 8
* 9
* Miura 5
* New Glenn
* New Line 1
* Nuri
* OmegA
* OS-M2
* OS-M4
* Orbex Prime
* SLS
* Soyuz-7
* SSLV
* Starship
* Terran 1
* Vega C
* Vega E
* Vulcan
* Zero
* Zhuque-2

Retired|

* Antares 110/120/130/230
* Ariane
* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* ASLV
* Athena
* I
* II
* Atlas
* B
* D
* E/F
* G
* H
* I
* II
* III
* LV-3B
* SLV-3
* Able
* Agena
* Centaur
* Black Arrow
* Conestoga
* Delta
* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* G
* J
* L
* M
* N
* 0100
* 1000
* 2000
* 3000
* 4000
* 5000
* II
* III
* IV
* Diamant
* Dnepr
* Energia
* Europa
* Falcon 1
* Falcon 9
* v1.0
* v1.1
* v1.2 "Full Thrust"
* Feng Bao 1
* GSLV
* Mk I
* H-I
* H-II
* Juno I
* Juno II
* Kaituozhe-1
* Kosmos
* 1
* 2I
* 3
* 3M
* Lambda 4S
* Long March
* 1
* 1D†
* 2A
* 2E
* 3
* 3B
* 4A
* Mu
* 4S 3C 3H 3S 3SII
* V
* N1†
* N-I
* N-II
* Naro-1
* Paektusan
* Pilot†
* R-7
* Luna
* Molniya
* M
* L
* Polyot
* Soyuz
* original
* FG
* L
* M
* U
* U2
* Soyuz/Vostok
* Sputnik
* Voskhod
* Vostok
* L
* K
* 2
* 2M
* R-29
* Shtil'
* Volna
* Saturn
* I
* IB
* V
* Scout
* SLV
* Space Shuttle
* SPARK†
* Sparta
* SS-520
* Start-1
* Thor
* Able
* Ablestar
* Agena
* Burner
* Delta
* DSV-2U
* Thorad-Agena
* Titan
* II GLV
* IIIA
* IIIB
* IIIC
* IIID
* IIIE
* 34D
* 23G
* CT-3
* IV
* Tsyklon
* 2
* 3
* 4
* UR (Proton)
* UR-500 (Proton)
* Proton-K
* Rokot
* Strela
* Vanguard
* VLS-1†
* Zenit
* 2
* 2M

Classes|

* Sounding rocket
* Small-lift launch vehicle
* Medium-lift launch vehicle
* Heavy-lift launch vehicle
* Super heavy-lift launch vehicle

* Symbol † indicates projects terminated before a successful orbital launch

* v
* t
* e

Orbital launch systems developed in the United States

Active|

* Antares 230+
* Atlas V
* Delta IV Heavy
* Falcon 9 Block 5
* Falcon Heavy
* Minotaur
* I
* IV
* V
* C
* Pegasus

In development|

* Firefly Alpha
* Beta
* LauncherOne
* New Glenn
* OmegA
* SLS
* Starship
* Vector-R
* Vector-H
* Vulcan

Retired|

* Antares 110/120/130/230
* Athena
* I
* II
* Atlas
* B
* D
* E/F
* G
* H
* I
* II
* III
* LV-3B
* SLV-3
* Able
* Agena
* Centaur
* Conestoga
* Delta
* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* G
* J
* L
* M
* N
* 0100
* 1000
* 2000
* 3000
* 4000
* 5000
* II
* III
* IV
* Falcon 1
* Falcon 9
* v1.0
* v1.1
* v1.2 "Full Thrust"
* H-I*
* Juno I
* Juno II
* N-I*
* N-II*
* Pilot
* Saturn
* I
* IB
* V
* Scout
* Space Shuttle
* SPARK
* Sparta
* Thor
* Able
* Ablestar
* Agena
* Burner
* Delta
* DSV-2U
* Thorad-Agena
* Titan
* II GLV
* IIIA
* IIIB
* IIIC
* IIID
* IIIE
* 34D
* 23G
* CT-3
* IV
* Vanguard

* * - Japanese projects using US rockets or stages

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