Delta A

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Delta A

Delta A no. 13 - Delta A no. 13 - COSPAR 1962 Beta Gamma

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Family: Delta. Country: USA. Status: Hardware.

Specifications

Launches: 2. Failures: 0. Success Rate: 100.00% pct. First Launch Date: 02 October 1962. Last Launch Date: 27 October 1962. Payload: 68 kg. to a: Geosynchronous transfer trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 68,040 kgf. Total Mass: 50,756 kg. Core Diameter: 2.4 m. Total Length: 31.0 m. Flyaway Unit Cost $: 9.59 million. in 1985 unit dollars.

Stage Number: 1. 1 x Thor DM-21 Gross Mass: 48,354 kg. Empty Mass: 2,948 kg. Thrust (vac): 77,564 kgf. Isp: 285 sec. Burn time: 164 sec. Isp(sl): 250 sec. Diameter: 2.4 m. Span: 2.4 m. Length: 18.4 m. Propellants: Lox/Kerosene No Engines: 1. MB-3-1
Stage Number: 2. 1 x Delta A Gross Mass: 2,164 kg. Empty Mass: 694 kg. Thrust (vac): 3,447 kgf. Isp: 271 sec. Burn time: 115 sec. Isp(sl): 0 sec. Diameter: 0.8 m. Span: 0.8 m. Length: 5.4 m. Propellants: Nitric acid/UDMH No Engines: 1. AJ10-118
Stage Number: 3. 1 x Altair 1 Gross Mass: 238 kg. Empty Mass: 30 kg. Thrust (vac): 1,270 kgf. Isp: 256 sec. Burn time: 38 sec. Isp(sl): 233 sec. Diameter: 0.5 m. Span: 0.5 m. Length: 1.8 m. Propellants: Solid No Engines: 1. X-248

Delta A Chronology

1959 Apr 28 -

Delta launch vehicle contract.
NASA announced the signing of a $24 million contract with Douglas Aircraft Co., Inc., for a three-stage Thor-Vanguard launching rocket called Delta.

1962 Oct 2 - - 22:11 GMT. LV Configuration: Thor Delta A s/n 345 / Delta s/n 13. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B.

Explorer 14 Spacecraft: EPE. Payload: EPE B (S-3A). Mass: 40 kg.
Magnetosphere studies. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

1962 Oct 27 - - 23:15 GMT. LV Configuration: Thor Delta A s/n 346 / Delta s/n 14. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B.

Explorer 15 Spacecraft: EPE. Payload: EPE C (S-3C SERB). Mass: 45 kg.
Radiation decay data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

Bibliography:

34 - Gatland, Kenneth, Missiles and Rockets, Macmillan, New York, 1975.
140 - Wilson, Andrew, Spaceflight, "Delta Digest", 1979, Volume 10, page 413.

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .