Delta B

Delta B

Delta B prior to the launch of TIROS-8
Function	Expendable launch system
Country of origin	United States
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	Cape Canaveral LC-17
Total launches	9
Successes	8
Failures	1
Maiden flight	13 December 1962
Last flight	19 March 1964

The Delta B, or Thor-Delta B was an American expendable launch system used for nine orbital launches between 1962 and 1964. A derivative of the Thor-Delta, it was a member of the Delta family of rockets.

The first stage was a Thor missile in the DM-21 configuration, and the second stage was the Delta D, which was derived from the earlier Delta. An Altair solid rocket motor was used as a third stage.

All nine launches occurred from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17. Most of the launches carried communications satellites, including Syncom-1 and Syncom-2. Syncom-1 was intended to be the first satellite to be placed into a geosynchronous orbit, however the spacecraft malfunctioned prior to reaching this orbit. Syncom-2 subsequently became the first geosynchronous satellite, and was placed at 55° west of the Greenwich Meridian. The final launch failed due to third stage underperformance, all other launches were successful.

References

• Wade, Mark. "Delta". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/delta.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-09. 
• Krebs, Gunter. "Thor family". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_fam/thor.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-09.