NASASpaceFlight.com Forum

Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => ULA - Delta, Atlas, Vulcan => Topic started by: kevin-rf on 08/22/2011 08:36 pm

Title: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: kevin-rf on 08/22/2011 08:36 pm
Kinda surprised no one has commented on the spaceflightnow.com article "A Rocket Resurrection?"

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1108/21nlsonramp/

Details proposals to NLS onramp the "I'm not dead yet" Delta II and Orbital's up and coming Taurus II.
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: beb on 08/22/2011 09:08 pm
Actually the article seemed kind of vague. Yes, NASA has signed a contract for dozens of launches over the next decade but it also mentions that ULA has parts to assemble no more than 5 Delta IIs. I thought ULA had previously considered reopening the Delta II line and decided it would be too expensive. I don't know any reason to assume finances have gotten better since. Taurus II seems a better fit for a replacement but it's not yet flown and will be a while getting certified.
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: Prober on 08/22/2011 09:37 pm
Quote from: beb on 08/22/2011 09:08 pm
Actually the article seemed kind of vague. Yes, NASA has signed a contract for dozens of launches over the next decade but it also mentions that ULA has parts to assemble no more than 5 Delta IIs. I thought ULA had previously considered reopening the Delta II line and decided it would be too expensive. I don't know any reason to assume finances have gotten better since. Taurus II seems a better fit for a replacement but it's not yet flown and will be a while getting certified.

thought they trashed the tooling in the last move.
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: Jim on 08/22/2011 10:07 pm
No tooling was trashed. 
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: mmeijeri on 08/22/2011 10:11 pm
Quote from: Jim on 08/22/2011 10:07 pm
No tooling was trashed. 

Didn't you say the other day that the tooling had been sold to Italy?
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: Jim on 08/22/2011 10:16 pm
Quote from: mmeijeri on 08/22/2011 10:11 pm
Quote from: Jim on 08/22/2011 10:07 pm
No tooling was trashed. 

Didn't you say the other day that the tooling had been sold to Italy?

The second stage tanks were built in Italy.  They arent restarting the whole production line, they only have the pieces for 5
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: Blackstar on 08/23/2011 12:17 am
Boeing would put the Delta II back in production if they thought they could make money at it.
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 08/30/2011 12:57 pm
Quote from: Blackstar on 08/23/2011 12:17 am
Boeing would put the Delta II back in production if they thought they could make money at it.
Delta II is a ULA product now.....
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: Hunt101 on 09/01/2011 12:43 am
Quote from: beb on 08/22/2011 09:08 pm
Actually the article seemed kind of vague.

It is. Shoddy work.
Title: Re: Delta II and Taurus II on ramp to NLS...
Post by: Patchouli on 09/01/2011 01:14 am
I kinda regret the loss of the Delta-K stage because it was a storable propellent stage capable of numerous of restarts.

It seems now zero boil off technology for Centaur or ACES will now be needed for any serious BEO work.