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History of the Delta Launch Vehicle



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Archive for September, 1998


28-Sep-98 | Web site news

History of the Delta Launch Vehicle has a new location! Please update your bookmarks to http://kevin.forsyth.net/. The site at www.msu.edu/~forsyth2/ will continue to be updated as long as it exists.


28-Sep-98 | MGS resumes aerobraking

Mars Global Surveyor (Delta 239) had a successful apoapsis burn on 23 September and has resumed aerobraking. (Latest info)


15-Sep-98 | Delta flight 259 – Galaxy 10 (FAILURE)

At 71.5 seconds into flight, the first Delta III was destroyed. Around 55s into flight, a 4-Hertz roll oscillation began. All control systems — the main engine gimbal, two vernier engines, and three Thrust Vector Control (TVC) solid motors — attempted to compensate for the roll. Ten seconds later, the TVC system used up the last of its expendable hydraulic fluid, which left two motors providing an over-turning movement. The main engine and verniers were unable to compensate, and the vehicle yawed too far and broke apart, triggering the self-destruct system. Investigators now seem to believe the unanticipated oscillation was caused by a control failure in the TVC system.


11-Sep-98 | Globalstar moves to Delta

Following the loss of a Ukraine-built Zenit vehicle with 12 satellites aboard, and the embarrassment of a pre-written launch commentary which claimed a success, Globalstar has remanifested 12 satellites to 3 Delta II vehicles to be launched in 1999.


     

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