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kevinforsyth.net
To Reach the High Frontier: A History of U.S. Launch Vehicles
"A valuable contribution to the field of aerospace literature," this book includes an extensive overview of Delta history and development along with chapters on Atlas, Titan, Scout, Space Shuttle, and much more.
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Many other excellent books about spaceflight are recommended here.
04-Nov-98 | Stardust prepared for transport to KSC
Stardust will fly close to comet Wild-2 and will be the first spacecraft to return cometary material to Earth for analysis. It is currently being prepared for shipping to KSC on 12 November, and will launch on 6 February.
04-Nov-98 | Delta flight 261 – Deep Space 1 / SEDSAT
Deep Space 1 and SEDSAT are both in excellent health after successfully launching from Cape Canaveral’s Pad 17A on 24 October 1998. The first mission in NASA’s New Millenium Program, DS-1 will flight-test 12 new technologies including a solar-powered xenon ion propulsion system and independent navigation control.
DS-1 and SEDSAT were launched aboard a Delta 7326, a model with a couple of notable features. It was the first Delta II to use only 3 GEM booster motors. In fact, this was the first Delta to fly with 3 motors in over 17 years! [Thanks to Moose Lavigne for pointing this out.] The flight was also the first use of the Star 37FM third stage motor on a Delta. This is the latest improvement on a motor last flown as the third stage in 1987, before the introduction of the Delta II. (Another version of the Star 37 is used as the apogee kick motor aboard Navstar GPS satellites.)
28-Oct-98 | Mars probes in final testing
Both Mars Surveyor 1998 spacecraft are proceeding smoothly through the final stages of assembly and testing at KSC. Mars Climate Orbiter will launch on 10 December. Mars Polar Lander will launch on 3 January. Each Delta 7425 vehicle will be carrying a ‘videoroc’ aboard the first stage to film the launches. This footage should prove as exciting as that produced during Delta 247 (ACE).
21-Oct-98 | Delta III failure investigation completed
The unexpected roll oscillation during the Delta III launch on 27-Aug-98 was the result of a single roll mode out of 56 in the control software. The mode caused the Thrust Vector Control motors to gimbal back and forth in unison, generating torque vectors which became significant at altitude as the rocket shed propellant mass. A bug fix in the software should have the Delta III ready for its scheduled return-to-flight in early 1999. Boeing press release
19-Oct-98 | NEAR TCM uses upgraded software
Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) will be the first spacecraft to orbit a near-Earth asteroid when it arrives at 433 Eros on approximately 10 January. Launched on Delta 232, NEAR recently received upgraded Flight Computer software which will provide “fancy burn” control for use in orbit. TCM 15 using the fancy burn software was successfully completed on 14 October at 1659 UTC.
19-Oct-98 | Delta IV news
Big news about the next-generation Delta IV!
17-Oct-98 | Mars probe processing update
Both Mars Surveyor 1998 spacecraft are now at KSC and will launch on Delta 7425s. Their science payloads are assembled, tested, and ready for flight. Both spacecraft have had problems with cracked glass-body diodes in their power distribution systems, but change-outs are proceeding with no apparent effect on the launch dates.
13-Oct-98 | Iridium vehicle preparation
At Vandenberg AFB, vehicle prep continues for Iridium MS-11, where simulated flight testing is proceeding. Delta II rockets have already launched 50 Iridium satellites, and this flight will carry 5 more. The Iridium system will have its customer debut on 1 November.
01-Oct-98 | Gamma ray flare
A tremendous gamma ray flare reached Earth on 27 August (29-Sep-98 NASA Press Release). The flare, emitted from a newly discovered type of star called a magnetar, was so bright that it saturated the gamma ray detectors aboard the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (Delta 230) even though RXTE was pointed over 40 degrees away. At least 6 other spacecraft were similarly affected, including NEAR.
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.
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