Delta III
Delta III was an expendable launch vehicle made by McDonnell Douglas (later acquired by Boeing). The vehicle was developed from the highly-successful Delta II to help meet the launch demand of larger satellites. The first Delta III launch was on August 26, 1998. 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 3,810 kg (8,400 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit, twice the payload of its predecessor, the Delta II. Under the four-digit designation system from earlier Delta rockets, the Delta III is classified as the Delta 8930.
A Delta III rocket diagram | |
| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Boeing (design, manufacturing and assembly) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (extended kerosene tank and H-IIA-based upper stage manufacturing) NASDA (H-IIA/DCSS upper stage design) |
| 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) |
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass | 3,810 kg (8,400 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Delta |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | SLC-17B, 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 | 9 GEM 46 |
| Maximum thrust | 628.3 kN (141,200 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 273 seconds (2.68 km/s) |
| Burn time | 75 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB bound APCP |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 1 Rocketdyne RS-27A |
| Maximum thrust | 1,085.79 kN (244,100 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 254 seconds (2.49 km/s) |
| Burn time | 260 seconds |
| Propellant | LOX/RP-1 |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1 Pratt & Whitney RL10B |
| Maximum thrust | 110.03 kN (24,740 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 462 seconds (4.53 km/s) |
| Burn time | 700 seconds |
| Propellant | LOX/LH2 |
| Third stage (Optional) | |
| Powered by | 1 Thiokol Star 48B |
| Maximum thrust | 66.723 kN (15,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 286 seconds (2.80 km/s) |
| Burn time | 87 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB |
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