[Eyewitness Report]
The Delta Rocket is an Air Force Workhorse. If one were not watching the launch live here on the Space Coast, everyone knew something went wrong. When the Shuttle returns home we hear two sonic booms. Today there were 3!
This shook many out of bed...... When you see the footage on the news you will further understand.
To everyone on the Space Coast here in Brevard County, this is a heart breaking anomaly. Some may get complacent, and think it's routine, but it is never Routine.. Working at the ROCC ( not working this OP)
I see the work put in by many to insure public safety. Through Air Traffic Radar, Sea Radar, an Doppler Radar, 90 DEC/VAX main-frame computers, to USAF Blackhawk Helicopters, and Coast Guard Cutters, this thank-less team of many, insures public safety, even if 70% of the time, it is saving people from their own stupidity. Pleasure Boats, Shrimpers, all want to have that perfect view, some right under the projected trajectory in the Atlantic. There are mathematical solutions designed to run in real-time to anticipate debris footprint.
Many Thanks to all the Silent Heroes at The Cape, and NASA.
pafb.af.mil
JW@KSC
And now a word from our Sponsor:
The Delta II launch vehicle is the latest generation of the Delta medium-launch vehicle family. The Delta II entered the Air Force inventory in February 1987 and was first launched one year later. The launch vehicle was developed when the Air Force decided to return to a mixed fleet of expendable launch vehicles following the Challenger disaster and other launch failures.
The Delta II is launched primarily from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., but is also launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., by NASA. Members of Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., are responsible for the Delta II's military launch missions.
In January 1987, the Air Force awarded a contract to McDonnell Douglas for construction of 18 Delta IIs to launch the Navstar Global Positioning System satellites, originally programmed for launch on the space shuttle.
The original Delta medium-launch vehicle program began in the late l950's by NASA with McDonnell Douglas as its prime contractor. McDonnell Douglas developed a space-launch vehicle that used a modified Thor-intermediate range ballistic missile as the first stage and Vanguard missile components as the second and third stages. This configuration, launched in 1960, could deliver a 100-pound spacecraft into geostationary transfer orbit.
Continued improvements resulted in a series of vehicles with increasing payload capability, leading to the Delta 3920 configuration, which could inject a heavier spacecraft into orbit.
The Delta II provides an increased lift capability of approximately 4,000 pounds into geostationary transfer orbit.
The first Delta II was successfully launched on Feb. 14, 1989, at Cape Canaveral. There are two primary versions of the Delta II. The Delta 6925, the first version, carried the initial nine GPS satellites into orbit.
The Delta II has a 12-foot longer first stage than previous Deltas, bringing its total height to 125.9 feet.
The payload fairing -- the shroud covering the third stage and the satellite -- has been widened from eight feet to nine-and-a-half feet to accommodate the GPS satellite. A 10-foot wide fairing also is available for larger payloads. The nine solid-rocket motors that ring the first stage contain a more powerful propellant mixture.
The Delta II's second version, Delta 7925, began boosting remaining GPS satellites in November 1990.
The Delta 7925 adds new solid-rocket motors with cases made of graphite-epoxy. Built by Alliant Techsystems, the motor cases are lighter, but as strong as the steel cases they replace. The new motors are six feet longer and provide much greater thrust. Also, the main-engine nozzle on the first stage has been enlarged, giving a greater expansion ratio, for improved performance.
The Delta program has had more than 200 successful domestic and foreign military and commercial launches. The Delta has accomplished many firsts over the years. These include the first international satellite, Telstar I, in 1962; the first geosynchronous-orbit satellite, Syncorn II, in 1963; and the first
commercial communications satellite, COMSAT I, in 1965.
Specifications
Launch sites: Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Weight: 511,731 pounds
Height: 125.2 feet
Thrust at Liftoff: 699,250 pounds
Payload capability: 4,480 pounds
Primary contractor: McDonnell Douglas |
