Delta E

This article is about the rocket. For the difference between colours, see color difference.

Launch of a Delta E with Pioneer 6
FunctionExpendable launch system
Country of originUnited States
Launch history
StatusRetired
Launch sitesCape Canaveral LC-17
Vandenberg SLC-2E
Total launches23
Success(es)23
First flight6 November 1965
Last flight1 April 1971
[edit on Wikidata]

The Delta E, or Thor-Delta E was an American expendable launch system used for twenty-three orbital launches between 1965 and 1971. It was a member of the Delta family of rockets.[1]

The first stage was a Thor missile in the DSV-2C configuration, and the second stage was the Delta-E, which was derived from the earlier Delta-A.[2][3][4] Three Castor-1 solid rocket boosters were clustered around the first stage. Two different solid-fuel upper stages were available; an Altair-2 was used on the baseline version, however this could be replaced with an FW-4D to increase performance. A Delta E with the FW-4D upper stage was designated Delta E1. Six flights used the Delta E configuration and seventeen used the Delta E1.[5][6]

Delta E rockets were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17 and Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 2E. All 23 flights were successful. On December 16 1965, a Delta E launched the Pioneer 6 space probe.[1][4]

  1. ^ a b Wade, Mark. "Delta". Archived from the original on 2008-07-24.
  2. ^ Wade, Mark (2016-12-28). "Delta E". Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  3. ^ Wade, Mark (2016-12-28). "Delta A". Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  4. ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "Thor Family". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 2007-08-06. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  5. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Delta-E". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  6. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Delta-E1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-01-30.