Delta IV Rocket

Words: 1166
Pages: 5
Open Document
The Boeing Delta IV rocket is an expendable launch vehicle created as the successor to the Delta III. The rocket is designed to launch payloads in a range of different sizes for the US Air Force EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) program's commercial and military needs. The rockets are assembled in the Horizontal Integration Facility for launch at Cape Canaveral, as well as a similar location for launches at the Vandenberg AFB. There are multiple variants available, the standard Medium model, the three Medium+ models, and the Heavy model. The launch vehicle has currently completed thirty missions and had one partial failure when the Delta IV Heavy rocket failed to bring its payload to the correct orbits.

Brief History of the Delta IV …show more content…
Notable Features of the Delta IV

The launch vehicle's first stage consists of a single "Common Booster Core" (or CBC) which is powered by the Rocketdyne RS-68 liquid fuel engine which uses liquid hydrogen and oxygen as fuel, unlike the majority of rockets' first stages, which usually use solid fuel engines for a less costly solution. The Delta IV Heavy (or Delta IV-H) variant utilizes three CBCs, rather than one.

The Delta IV also utilizes an L-3 Communications RIFCA guidance system, similar to the model used on the Delta II, but with large improvements in gyroscopes and accelerometers in order to provide a more reliable guidance system.

For payload encapsulation, the Delta IV can utilize a variety of different fairing models. 5-meter variants often use an enlarged composite fairing, where the 4-meter variants will often use a stretched Delta III composite fairing. The Heavy variation of the Delta IV can also be equipped with a longer variation, or an aluminum iso-grid fairing derived from the Titan IV.

Notable Delta IV …show more content…
Rather than only using two solid rocket boosters, the (5,4) utilizes four solid rockets, which bring its GTO payload capacity up to 6,882 Kilograms, giving the highest payload capacity out of all Delta IV Medium variants.

Delta IV Heavy

The Heavy variant of the Delta IV launch vehicle is constructed in much the same way as the M+ (5,2) variant, with the exception that rather than using solid rocket boosters, the Heavy utilizes an additional two CBC rocket engines. The extra CBC engines are still strap-on, and will still eject during flight, but they provide an enormous amount of extra force when compared to the (5,2). This provides the Delta IV Heavy with a maximum payload capacity to GTO of roughly 13,400 Kilograms.

RS-68A Variants

In 2006, a RAND Corporation study noted that an increase of the Delta IV Heavy maximum payload would be required for future national security requirements for launches. This was accomplished by the development of a higher-performance alternative to the RS-68, which was called the RS-68A. The upgraded engine was launched in June of 2012, and ULA quickly phased out the original
Show More

Related Documents: Delta IV Rocket

Essay on Various Rocket Propellants and Their Characterstics

------------------------------------------------- Rocket A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use.[1] Rocket engines work by action and reaction. Rocket engines push rockets forwards simply by throwing their exhaust backwards extremely fast. Rockets for military and recreational uses date back to at least 13th century China.[2] Significant…

Words 4932 - Pages 20

Boeing Financial Statement Analysis Essay

Financial Statement Analysis Project The Boeing Company November 11, 2004 Table of Contents I. Firm, Industry, and Environment 4 A. Description of firm and environment 4 B. Discussion of competitive environment 6 C. Economic climate and outlook 8 D. Other relevant factors, e.g. governmental regulations, labor relations, litigation, etc. 8 II. Evaluation of Balance Sheet 10 A. Description of asset structure 11 a. Current Assets 11 b. Customer and commercial financing 12 c.…

Words 9000 - Pages 36

Multiple Intelligences Seminar and Workshop Essay

Teaching and Learning through Multiple Intelligences Seminar/Workshop Content Outline: PART I – Explanation 1. What is the theory of multiple intelligences (M.I.)? 2. How does this theory differ from the traditional definition of intelligence? 3. What do multiple intelligences have to do with my classroom? 4. How has M.I. theory developed since it was introduced in 1983? 5. Who are the critics of this theory and what do they say? 6. What are some benefits of using the…

Words 14446 - Pages 58