The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) was an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle. When it was in service from 2004 to 2024, it was the largest type in the Delta IV family and was the world's second highest-capacity rocket in operation, behind SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket and closely followed by CNSA's Long March 5 rocket. [1] [2] It was manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in December 2004 and was retired after its last flight on 9th April 2024. [3]
Flight | Date | Payload [4] | Mass | Launch site | Outcome [4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 December 2004 | DemoSat, Sparkie / 3CS-1 and Ralphie / 3CS-2 | ~13,228 pounds (6000 kilograms) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Partial failure [a] |
2 | 11 November 2007 | DSP-23 Defense Support Program | 11,574 pounds (5,250 kilograms) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
3 | 18 January 2009 | Orion 6 / Mentor 4 ( USA-202 / NROL-26) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
4 | 21 November 2010 | Orion 7 / Mentor 5 ( USA-223 / NROL-32) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
5 | 20 January 2011 | KH-11 Kennen 15 ( USA-224 / NROL-49) | <37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms) | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
6 | 29 June 2012 | Orion 8 / Mentor 6 (USA-237 / NROL-15) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
7 | 26 August 2013 | KH-11 Kennen 16 ( USA-245 / NROL-65) | <37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms) | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
8 | 5 December 2014 | Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) | 46,297 pounds (21,000 kilograms) [5] [b] | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
9 | 11 June 2016 | Orion 9 / Mentor 7 (USA-268 / NROL-37) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
10 | 12 August 2018 | Parker Solar Probe [c] | 1,510 pounds (685 kilograms) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
11 | 19 January 2019 | NROL-71 | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
12 | 11 December 2020 | Orion 10 / Mentor 8 (USA-268/ NROL-44) [6] [7] | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
13 | 26 April 2021 | KH-11 Kennen 17 ( NROL-82) | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
14 | 24 September 2022 | KH-11 Kennen 18 ( NROL-91) | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
15 | 22 June 2023 | Orion 11 / Mentor 9 ( NROL-68) [8] | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
16 | 9 April 2024 | Orion 12 / Mentor 10 ( NROL-70) | Classified | CCSFS, SLC-37B | Success |
The ULA Delta 4-Heavy is currently the world's largest rocket, providing the nation with reliable, proven, heavy lift capability for our country's national security payloads from both the east and west coasts.
The Falcon Heavy is capable of lifting 140,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit, more than any other rocket today.
The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) was an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle. When it was in service from 2004 to 2024, it was the largest type in the Delta IV family and was the world's second highest-capacity rocket in operation, behind SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket and closely followed by CNSA's Long March 5 rocket. [1] [2] It was manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in December 2004 and was retired after its last flight on 9th April 2024. [3]
Flight | Date | Payload [4] | Mass | Launch site | Outcome [4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 December 2004 | DemoSat, Sparkie / 3CS-1 and Ralphie / 3CS-2 | ~13,228 pounds (6000 kilograms) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Partial failure [a] |
2 | 11 November 2007 | DSP-23 Defense Support Program | 11,574 pounds (5,250 kilograms) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
3 | 18 January 2009 | Orion 6 / Mentor 4 ( USA-202 / NROL-26) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
4 | 21 November 2010 | Orion 7 / Mentor 5 ( USA-223 / NROL-32) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
5 | 20 January 2011 | KH-11 Kennen 15 ( USA-224 / NROL-49) | <37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms) | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
6 | 29 June 2012 | Orion 8 / Mentor 6 (USA-237 / NROL-15) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
7 | 26 August 2013 | KH-11 Kennen 16 ( USA-245 / NROL-65) | <37,479 pounds (17,000 kilograms) | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
8 | 5 December 2014 | Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) | 46,297 pounds (21,000 kilograms) [5] [b] | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
9 | 11 June 2016 | Orion 9 / Mentor 7 (USA-268 / NROL-37) | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
10 | 12 August 2018 | Parker Solar Probe [c] | 1,510 pounds (685 kilograms) | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
11 | 19 January 2019 | NROL-71 | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
12 | 11 December 2020 | Orion 10 / Mentor 8 (USA-268/ NROL-44) [6] [7] | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
13 | 26 April 2021 | KH-11 Kennen 17 ( NROL-82) | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
14 | 24 September 2022 | KH-11 Kennen 18 ( NROL-91) | Classified | Vandenberg, SLC-6 | Success |
15 | 22 June 2023 | Orion 11 / Mentor 9 ( NROL-68) [8] | Classified | Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B | Success |
16 | 9 April 2024 | Orion 12 / Mentor 10 ( NROL-70) | Classified | CCSFS, SLC-37B | Success |
The ULA Delta 4-Heavy is currently the world's largest rocket, providing the nation with reliable, proven, heavy lift capability for our country's national security payloads from both the east and west coasts.
The Falcon Heavy is capable of lifting 140,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit, more than any other rocket today.