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Delta D

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description Delta D Overview

Delta D was an early American expendable launch vehicle, a variant of the Thor-Delta rocket family used by NASA in the mid-1960s. Distinguished from earlier Delta models by the addition of three Castor I solid-fuel strap-on boosters augmenting the first-stage Thor rocket, it achieved a meaningful increase in payload capacity to low Earth orbit. It first flew in 1964 and supported satellite delivery missions as part of NASA's expanding space program.

help Delta D FAQ

What made Delta D different from earlier Delta rockets?

Delta D added three Castor I solid-fuel strap-on boosters around the Thor first stage. Those boosters increased liftoff thrust and payload capacity compared with the earlier Delta C.

What was the first Delta D launch?

The first Delta D launched Syncom 3 on August 19, 1964, from Cape Canaveral. Syncom 3 became the first satellite placed in geostationary orbit.

How many times was Delta D launched?

Delta D flew only two launches, and both were successful. The second launch on April 6, 1965, carried Intelsat I, the first commercial communications satellite.

What kind of rocket was Delta D?

It was a three-stage, expendable member of the Thor-Delta family used by NASA in the 1960s. Its core combined a Thor first stage, a Delta second stage, and an Altair solid-fuel third stage.

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