Delta D

Delta D

Launch of a Delta D with Intelsat I
Function	Expendable launch system
Country of origin	United States
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	Cape Canaveral LC-17
Total launches	2
Successes	2
Maiden flight	19 August 1964
Last flight	6 April 1965

The Delta D, Thrust Augmented Delta or Thor-Delta D was an American expendable launch system used to launch two communications satellites in 1964 and 1965. It was derived from the Delta C, and was a member of the Delta family of rockets.

The three-stage core vehicle was essentially the same as the Delta C. The first stage was a Thor missile in the DSV-2A configuration, and the second stage was the Delta D, which was derived from the earlier Delta. An Altair-2 SRM was used as a third stage. The main difference between the Delta C and Delta D was the presence of three Castor-1 solid rocket boosters, clustered around the first stage.

Both Delta D launches were conducted from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17A. The first, on 19 August 1964, carried the Syncom 3 satellite. The last, on 6 April 1965, carried the first commercial communications satellite, Intelsat I.

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.