Every time a Delta II goes up, I can't help but think a part of Vanguard, Apollo, and Shuttle for now still lives...
And Navaho. RS-27A is the last in a long line of "150K" Rocketdyne RP/LOX based engines that originated with Navaho G38 and that were used by Atlas, Jupiter, Saturn, and Thor (and also found licensed adaptation by Blue Streak/Europa, by Japan's N and H-1 rockets, and maybe even partly by Aerojet for the Titan 1 engines). They account for the majority of all U.S. orbital launches and for a sizable percentage of worldwide launches. And only two more are expected to fly.
- Ed Kyle
Absolutely true.
Though, while it is not directly related (I think? How much RS-27 was in FASTRAC?) and is a bit smaller, Merlin 1 is very much a spiritual successor to H-1/RS-27. It's a pity that Taurus II/Antares hasn't lived up to being a true Delta II successor...
Every time a Delta II goes up, I can't help but think a part of Vanguard, Apollo, and Shuttle for now still lives...
And Navaho. RS-27A is the last in a long line of "150K" Rocketdyne RP/LOX based engines that originated with Navaho G38 and that were used by Atlas, Jupiter, Saturn, and Thor (and also found licensed adaptation by Blue Streak/Europa, by Japan's N and H-1 rockets, and maybe even partly by Aerojet for the Titan 1 engines). They account for the majority of all U.S. orbital launches and for a sizable percentage of worldwide launches. And only two more are expected to fly.
- Ed Kyle
Absolutely true.
Though, while it is not directly related (I think? How much RS-27 was in FASTRAC?) and is a bit smaller, Merlin 1 is very much a spiritual successor to H-1/RS-27. It's a pity that Taurus II/Antares hasn't lived up to being a true Delta II successor...
are you saying that if you were to re-engine the Delta II today you would use several Fastrac engines?
Ed I know there were some changes with the RS-27A; but I feel a a lot closer to the Von Braun team and H1 with the Delta II.
It actually has more in common with the USAF teams vs Huntsville.
Delta was derived from the USAF IRBM Thor, who's story is told in this fascinating video (which includes lots of blockhouse equipment and people views.
A "Thor-Vanguard" variant (named Thor Able) was created for the Air Force to test reentry materials. That rocket was later adapted by NASA, with avionics improvements, to create "Thor-Delta". Goddard center ran the resulting Delta program, which made sense because Goddard was built around the former NRL team that created Vanguard. Goddard ran the Delta program until the end of the 1980s, when the Air Force "took Delta back", creating Delta 2 to launch the GPS constellation. But, of course, Delta 2 was able to do other things, so it also kept working for NASA and for commercial satellite operators, and others.
Von Braun's team built the IRBM Jupiter (originally for the U.S. Army, but ultimately, and reluctantly, deployed by the Air Force), which was powered by an engine very similar to the Thor engine, but which used turbopump exhaust for roll control rather than the roll verniers used by Thor, among other differences. My understanding is that the Saturn H-1 engine was derived from the Jupiter engine, although as mentioned both shared similarities with the Thor and Atlas engines.
- Ed Kyle
Ed I know there were some changes with the RS-27A; but I feel a a lot closer to the Von Braun team and H1 with the Delta II.
It actually has more in common with the USAF teams vs Huntsville.
Delta was derived from the USAF IRBM Thor, who's story is told in this fascinating video (which includes lots of blockhouse equipment and people views.
A "Thor-Vanguard" variant (named Thor Able) was created for the Air Force to test reentry materials. That rocket was later adapted by NASA, with avionics improvements, to create "Thor-Delta". Goddard center ran the resulting Delta program, which made sense because Goddard was built around the former NRL team that created Vanguard. Goddard ran the Delta program until the end of the 1980s, when the Air Force "took Delta back", creating Delta 2 to launch the GPS constellation. But, of course, Delta 2 was able to do other things, so it also kept working for NASA and for commercial satellite operators, and others.
Von Braun's team built the IRBM Jupiter (originally for the U.S. Army, but ultimately, and reluctantly, deployed by the Air Force), which was powered by an engine very similar to the Thor engine, but which used turbopump exhaust for roll control rather than the roll verniers used by Thor, among other differences. My understanding is that the Saturn H-1 engine was derived from the Jupiter engine, although as mentioned both shared similarities with the Thor and Atlas engines.
- Ed Kyle
Excellent Video and information Ed...amazing what they did so long ago.
What is Delta 2's Shuttle connection?
Second stage engine is a sibling of the shuttle OMS thrusters
Then it is also directly connected to Orion!
I believe that Orion is not longer using the AJ-10 class engine, replacing it with Euro built engines.
NASA is still supplying the engines
NASA is still supplying the engines
The ATV based service module is going to use an AJ-10 class engine?
NASA is still supplying the engines
The ATV based service module is going to use an AJ-10 class engine?
Yes. Hardware pulled from Shuttle orbiters may be involved.
- Ed Kyle
Ed I know there were some changes with the RS-27A; but I feel a a lot closer to the Von Braun team and H1 with the Delta II.
It actually has more in common with the USAF teams vs Huntsville.
Delta was derived from the USAF IRBM Thor, who's story is told in this fascinating video (which includes lots of blockhouse equipment and people views.
A "Thor-Vanguard" variant (named Thor Able) was created for the Air Force to test reentry materials. That rocket was later adapted by NASA, with avionics improvements, to create "Thor-Delta". Goddard center ran the resulting Delta program, which made sense because Goddard was built around the former NRL team that created Vanguard. Goddard ran the Delta program until the end of the 1980s, when the Air Force "took Delta back", creating Delta 2 to launch the GPS constellation. But, of course, Delta 2 was able to do other things, so it also kept working for NASA and for commercial satellite operators, and others.
Von Braun's team built the IRBM Jupiter (originally for the U.S. Army, but ultimately, and reluctantly, deployed by the Air Force), which was powered by an engine very similar to the Thor engine, but which used turbopump exhaust for roll control rather than the roll verniers used by Thor, among other differences. My understanding is that the Saturn H-1 engine was derived from the Jupiter engine, although as mentioned both shared similarities with the Thor and Atlas engines.
- Ed Kyle
Interesting info. Thanks for the link Ed.
Excellent Video and information Ed...amazing what they did so long ago.
Amazing indeed - but only amazing because they (or we in general) have been sitting on our laurels far too long, instead of pushing the state of the art. The original designers of the RS-27 would not have anticipated that their engine would still be in active use for this long.
Just out of curiosity how much does the last three Delta 2 flight cost each?
NASA is still supplying the engines
The ATV based service module is going to use an AJ-10 class engine?
Yes. Hardware pulled from Shuttle orbiters may be involved.
- Ed Kyle
Not may, but will.
Orion 606/607 service module was to use the Orion Main Engine (OME), an improved version of the STS OMS-E (and thus yet another variant of AJ-10).
With the switch to an ESA supplied serive module (ESM) it was decided to equip the ESM with surplus STS OMS-E engines (AJ-10-190).
Regardless, the SM would, and still will be equipped with an AJ-10 variant.
The four (4) secondary engines on ESM will also be of US supply: Aerojet RD-4D-11. That's exactly the same model that is in use on the current ATV.
The only thrusters on ESM of european origin are the RCS thrusters.
Just out of curiosity how much does the last three Delta 2 flight cost each?
OCO-2, SMAP, and JPSS-1, about $412M total
ICESat-2 about $97M
These numbers include some stuff that isn't just the price of the rocket.
Just out of curiosity how much does the last three Delta 2 flight cost each?
OCO-2, SMAP, and JPSS-1, about $412M total
ICESat-2 about $97M
These numbers include some stuff that isn't just the price of the rocket.
Just to be clear. Those numbers are for launch services?
Just out of curiosity how much does the last three Delta 2 flight cost each?
OCO-2, SMAP, and JPSS-1, about $412M total
ICESat-2 about $97M
These numbers include some stuff that isn't just the price of the rocket.
Just to be clear. Those numbers are for launch services?
These are the launch services contract numbers released by NASA, for example:
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida has selected United Launch Services, LLC of Englewood, Colo., to provide Delta II launch services for the Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat)-2 mission, currently scheduled for July 2016.
A firm fixed-price launch service task order has been awarded under the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract. NASA's total cost to launch ICESat-2 is $96.6 million, including payload processing, integrated services, telemetry, reimbursables and other launch support requirements.