Delta C
Encyclopedia
The Delta C, or Thor-Delta C was an American
expendable launch system
used for thirteen orbit
al launches between 1963 and 1969. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets.
The first stage was a Thor
missile in the DSV-2A
configuration, and the second stage was the Delta D, which was derived from the earlier Delta. The baseline Delta C used an Altair-2
third stage, whilst the Delta C1 had an FW-4D third stage, which provided a higher payload capacity than the Altair. It is unclear whether two or three launches were made using the C1 configuration.
The Delta C was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Complex 17
. Most launches carried NASA
research satellites into low Earth orbit
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
expendable launch system
Expendable launch system
An expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
used for thirteen orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
al launches between 1963 and 1969. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets.
The first stage was a Thor
PGM-17 Thor
Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
missile in the DSV-2A
Thor DSV-2
The Thor DSV-2 was a series of sounding rockets, test vehicles, and anti-satellite weapons derived from the Thor Intermediate-range ballistic missile. It was also used as the first stage of several Thor-derived expendable launch systems-Thor DSV-2D:...
configuration, and the second stage was the Delta D, which was derived from the earlier Delta. The baseline Delta C used an Altair-2
Altair (rocket stage)
The Altair was a solid-fuel rocket with a fiberglass casing, initially developed for use as the third stage of Vanguard rockets. It was manufactured by Allegany Ballistics Laboratory as the X-248. It was also sometimes called the Burner 1.-Uses:...
third stage, whilst the Delta C1 had an FW-4D third stage, which provided a higher payload capacity than the Altair. It is unclear whether two or three launches were made using the C1 configuration.
The Delta C was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads...
Launch Complex 17
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 17 , previously designated Launch Complex 17 , was a launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida used for Thor and Delta rocket launches between 1958 and 2011....
. Most launches carried NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
research satellites into low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
.