Delta IV Heavy:First launch minutes away

Dang... everytime I edit to add info the old stuff gets deleted. Here we go again:


www.space.com...


""A heavy-lift variant of Boeing's Delta 4 rocket family, the Delta 4 Heavy is expected to deliver a test payload, dubbed DemoSat, into orbit. The mission also includes two smaller research satellites, called Nanosat-2, which are attached directly to the DemoSat payload and are designed to be deployed sequentially 16 minutes after launch following second stage cutoff. Although it has no on-orbit functions, the DemoSat payload will then be carried into geosynchronous orbit and cast off about 5 hours and 50 minutes after launch.
"Using its three-engine common booster core, the Delta 4 Heavy rocket is capable of carrying payloads up to 28,124 pounds (12,757 kilograms) into orbit. The DemoSat and two Nanosat-2 satellites together weigh about 13,500 pounds (6,123 kilograms)."


"Built by Boeing, the Delta 4 family can trace its heritage back to the Air Force's Thor nuclear missile. It was designed as part of the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program and relies on a common booster core stage. It can be combined with various booster rockets and nose cones to handle a wide variety of satellite delivery missions. Military and commercial versions will be flown from the Cape and Vandenberg AFB"



Boeing press release photo from rollout:



[edit on 21-12-2004 by onlyinmydreams]

[edit on 21-12-2004 by onlyinmydreams]

[edit on 21-12-2004 by onlyinmydreams]

Just curious...does anyone know how many satallites are launched per year; not just by us but by other countries? If so, how many? I can research it myself, just wanted to know off-hand figure.

Thanks for your help.

Originally posted by Godsent
Just curious...does anyone know how many satallites are launched per year; not just by us but by other countries? If so, how many? I can research it myself, just wanted to know off-hand figure.

Thanks for your help.

I think it's somewhere about 30 per year. That's offhand, so I may be off.

onlyinmydreams: Thanks for adding more to the post than just the title and picture. I was just about to send you a u2u asking to do that. Good call, mate.

[edit on 12/21/2004 by cmdrkeenkid]

anyways... this launch is important because some concepts related to Bush's space vision involve the use of Delta IV heavy launchers. If the Delta IV Heavy has problems that project could be set back (or we will have to rely on foreign boosters for a while.

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid

Originally posted by Godsent


onlyinmydreams: Thanks for adding more to the post than just the title and picture. I was just about to send you a u2u asking to do that. Good call, mate.

[edit on 12/21/2004 by cmdrkeenkid]

Actually, I had more infor originally... but when I added the press release photo all of it vanished. The launch counter was what I started the thread off with.

Originally posted by onlyinmydreams
Actually, I had more infor originally... but when I added the press release photo all of it vanished. The launch counter was what I started the thread off with.

Ah... The counter may have been what fouled things up then.

It launched!

"Delta 4 Heavy Launches into Space
For 4:52 p.m. EST Tuesday, December 21:
Riding not one but three pillars of flame, Boeing's new Delta 4 Heavy rocket lifted off from its launch pad at 4:50 p.m. EST (2150 GMT) today in what is expected to be a five-hour and 49 minute flight into orbit.
A demonstration mission for the U.S. Air Force, today's Delta 4 Heavy mission was staged from Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida. A few technical glitches and a last-minute hold dogged today's launch, which was initially set for 2:36 p.m. (1936 GMT), but engineers were able to address them within the two-hour, 59-minute launch window."

www.space.com...

I saw it launch. It is an amazing rocket, hopefully many more are gonna launch and they will use it to put manned vehicles up there.

thanks for the vid link, onlyinmydreams

That was a cool lookin launch.

The sad thing is the only have 2 purchases of the rocket so far, Noth from the USAF, but after this successfull launch hopfully they will get more buyers.

This successfull lift-off was critical for Boeing, because of its possible role in Nasa's future, where they might use this rocket to get the CEV up to the ISS.

This rocket may also be used by Nasa to get to the moon. It carries only 1/6 the weight that the apollo could, But it could be tweaked enough to get to 1/2 of what the apollo could do, but at a better price then apollo.

Boeing is also looking for it to possibly be used for Mars. Which could be accomplished by adding more boosters. Its current config is the main one and two on its sides, but you could also put 2 more on its other sides.

niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice! but why can it only carry half the amount that apollo could? where did you get that info?

i definitely want to see us reach mars with an manned vessel.

[edit on 22-12-2004 by feyd rautha]

, it now appears that the rocket isn't as powerfull as Boeing thought. It fell short of its goal by 10,000 feet. It fell short, so Boeing had to use the 3rd engine sooner then they expected, which caused that engine to run out of fuel before it got to its expected height.

I myself think it looks to still be a manned contender, but I wouldn't fully back it. Because overall, i'm against rockets.