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Delta II Q&A
by
Pipcard
on 11 Nov, 2012 21:22
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Does anyone know why the core stage is a blue color?
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#1
by
Jim
on 11 Nov, 2012 21:40
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Does anyone know why the core stage is a blue color?
Because MCD liked that color
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#2
by
Pipcard
on 11 Nov, 2012 22:52
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Does anyone know why the core stage is a blue color?
Because MCD liked that color
So if they wanted to, they could paint it green?
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#3
by
Jim
on 12 Nov, 2012 01:19
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Does anyone know why the core stage is a blue color?
Because MCD liked that color
So if they wanted to, they could paint it green?
some of it was, see the second stage
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#4
by
jkumpire
on 12 Nov, 2012 01:51
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Jim,
At this point is it fair to say the Delta II program is done, and the few left will never be used? If so, is there any need for LC 19 anymore, or will it just become a rusted artifact on ICBM Row?
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#5
by
Jim
on 12 Nov, 2012 02:07
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Jim,
At this point is it fair to say the Delta II program is done, and the few left will never be used? If so, is there any need for LC 19 anymore, or will it just become a rusted artifact on ICBM Row?
LC-17 and they are dismantling it now.
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#6
by
edkyle99
on 12 Nov, 2012 02:34
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Does anyone know why the core stage is a blue color?
Because MCD liked that color
So if they wanted to, they could paint it green?
some of it was, see the second stage
Delta used to be white. Delta 100, the first 2000-series Delta with an RS-27 engine, was the first to carry the blue paint. The shade of color in photos varied from yellowish green to blue depending on the lighting, film, and photo processing methods. The actual color is "Delta Blue", Federal Standard 595 color 25193, according to Kevin Forsyth.
http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=25193The color adaptation came not long after McDonnell Douglas closed out its long-running Thor-Agena program for the U.S. Air Force. Thors were always white. Extended Tank Thor (Delta) production had moved from the old Santa Monica Douglas plant to the newer McDonnell Douglas facility at Huntington Beach, California. It was a time of change. NASA Goddard was still in charge of the program. Someone at NASA or McDonnell Douglas obviously wanted a change, possibly to differentiate Air Force from NASA rockets. I have no idea who the someone was, but my guess is either that they liked blue, or that they owned stock in a blue paint manufacturer!
One benefit of the blue paint, by the way, was that it made it easier to see the ice buildup as LOX was loaded - something tougher to see on a white-painted booster. There might also actually be a photographic technical reason for blue. In my work, I often use blue as a backdrop for macro photography.
- Ed Kyle
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#7
by
ZachS09
on 16 Nov, 2012 13:40
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Are any of you aware that the Delta II is scheduled to make 3 more flights: OCO-2, SMAP, and JPSS-1, from Vandenberg?
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#8
by
Jim
on 16 Nov, 2012 13:45
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#9
by
ZachS09
on 07 Mar, 2013 19:09
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Now that the ULA owns the 4th stock Delta II rocket, what satellite by NASA do you think the 5th one can loft from Vandenberg if bought?
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#10
by
Jim
on 07 Mar, 2013 19:44
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Now that the ULA owns the 4th stock Delta II rocket, what satellite by NASA do you think the 5th one can loft from Vandenberg if bought?
NASA bought 4 of the 5 remaining Delta II's. It doesn't have any remaining missions in that class without a launch service
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#11
by
ZachS09
on 28 May, 2013 18:03
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Instead of a NASA observatory or satellite, is there a possibility that the NRO, US Navy, or US Air Force can buy the last Delta II to launch either an NROL satellite, a MUOS satellite, a GPS IIF or GPS IIIA satellite, a SBIRS-GEO satellite, an AEHF satellite, an STP payload, or something like that?
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#12
by
Jim
on 28 May, 2013 18:15
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Instead of a NASA observatory or satellite, is there a possibility that the NRO, US Navy, or US Air Force can buy the last Delta II to launch either an NROL satellite, a MUOS satellite, a GPS IIF or GPS IIIA satellite, a SBIRS-GEO satellite, an AEHF satellite, an STP payload, or something like that?
Anybody can buy it, but it can only be launched from VAFB, since LC-17 is being dismantled. Also, MUOS, GPS IIF, GPS IIIA, SBIRS-GEO or AEHF are 2 to 5 larger than what Delta II can carry. STP is basically all that is viable.
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#13
by
ZachS09
on 29 May, 2013 13:50
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In that case, since one of the first Falcon Heavy rockets is carrying the STP-2 payload, maybe for the Delta II's legitimate final flight, the USAF can purchase the last available Delta II to launch STP-3.
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#14
by
Jim
on 29 May, 2013 14:02
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In that case, since one of the first Falcon Heavy rockets is carrying the STP-2 payload, maybe for the Delta II's legitimate final flight, the USAF can purchase the last available Delta II to launch STP-3.
STP-3 is flying on a Minotaur I and it only weighs 180kg
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#15
by
Prober
on 29 May, 2013 22:29
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how thick is the Delta II tanking? was it that much of a change to Delta III?
Understand Delta IV carries over some of Delta III tankage, so could it be said that Delta IV goes back to Delta II?
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#16
by
Jim
on 29 May, 2013 22:44
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Delta III used a Delta II LOX tank and a larger Japanese fuel tank.
Delta IV has no structural hardware in common with Delta II.
The upperstage of the Delta III is similar to the Delta IV 4m upperstage. There is nothing in common between Delta III and Delta IV boosters.
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#17
by
Falcon H
on 12 Jun, 2013 14:40
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My apologies if this is kind of a naïve question, but do delta and atlas count as commercial launch vehicles or are they government, they are made by the ULA which composes of boeing and Lockheed. Thank you for the help.
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#18
by
Jim
on 12 Jun, 2013 14:46
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My apologies if this is kind of a naïve question, but do delta and atlas count as commercial launch vehicles or are they government, they are made by the ULA which composes of boeing and Lockheed. Thank you for the help.
They are commercial. The gov't buys launch services and not hardware.
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#19
by
Falcon H
on 12 Jun, 2013 14:59
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Ok, so they just launch delta and atlas, thank you for clearing that up.
