Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - DemonstratorsProgram (STSS-Demo)Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDTAt Pad 17-B, no significant work is being undertaken to allow thelaunch team to work on the Air Force Delta II on adjacent Pad 17-A.The vehicle will loft into orbit the final Air Force GlobalPositioning System navigation satellite in the current series on Aug.17.
After 49 years of Delta launches, this appears to be the final time that two Delta rockets will stand side by side at Pads 17A and B. Complex 17 is going to essentially be shutting down after the STSS launch, thus the recently announced layoffs. Only one more launch is planned from the Cape, from Pad B, in 2011 as I understand it.You probably already know what I'm thinking right now, so I won't type it..... - Ed Kyle
Several years ago I heard a Boeing presentation talking about Delta II. They were eager to dispel the myth that the Delta II had to go away. Boeing was willing to build more if somebody was willing to pay for them.At that time they mentioned the possibility of a new classified contract coming up that they could bid for with Delta II. Presumably this meant multiple launches of small satellites. Clearly that has not emerged since then.
What are the plans to manage the upkeep for the DELTA II launch complex at the cape during that idle period?