History of the Delta Launch Vehicle

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)

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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.

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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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26-May-98 | ACE brings results

Advanced Composition Explorer (Delta 247) is making continuous solar observations from the L1 libration point, and has returned data which challenge current models of solar particle acceleration. 26-May-98 NASA Press Release

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27-Mar-98 | Frame dragging evidence

Almost 22 years after it was launched on Delta 123, LAGEOS-1 provided scientists with direct evidence that the Earth pulls spacetime around itself as it rotates, a relativistic effect known as “frame dragging.” 27-Mar-98 NASA Press Release

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