List of Delta III launches

Delta III was an expendable launch vehicle made by Boeing. The first Delta III launch was on August 26, 1998.[1] Of its three flights, the first two were failures, and the third, though declared successful, reached the low end of its targeted orbit range and carried only a dummy (inert) payload. The Delta III could deliver up to 8,400 pounds (3,800 kilograms) to geostationary transfer orbit, twice the payload of its predecessor, the Delta II.[2] Under the four-digit designation system from earlier Delta rockets, the Delta III is classified as the Delta 8930.

Launch outcome statistics

  •   Failure
  •   Partial Failure

Launch history

Flight Number Date / time (UTC) Rocket
Configuration 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch
outcome
1 August 27, 1998
01:17 		Delta III 8930 CCAFS SLC-17B Galaxy 10 700 kg (1,500 lb) GTO PanAmSat / Intelsat Failure
Maiden flight of Delta III. Destroyed by range safety after control problems and depletion of hydraulic fluid. Communications satellite.
2 May 5, 1999
01:00 		Delta III 8930 CCAFS SLC-17B Orion 3 4,300 kg (9,500 lb) GTO Loral Failure[3]
Second stage engine failure. Payload placed in low Earth orbit, declared too low and Loral called satellite lost. Communications satellite.
3 August 23, 2000
11:05 		Delta III 8930 CCAFS SLC-17B DM-F3 4,383 kg (9,663 lb) GTO US Air Force Partial failure[4]
Reached lower than planned orbit. Final flight of Delta III. Payload was a DemoSat.

References

  1. ^ "Delta III Takes a Dip". WIRED. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
  2. ^ "Delta III Launch Vehicle". 2001. Archived from the original on November 14, 2001.
  3. ^ "Orion 3 at 139° East (Launch failure)". Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Delta 3 rocket falls short but still a success, Boeing says". Spaceflight Now. August 24, 2000.