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Delta IV Heavy
Delta IV Heavy is a retired orbital launch vehicle operated by United Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colorado, 72 m tall, 28,790 kg to low Earth orbit, 2 stages.
| Operator | United Launch Alliance · Centennial, Colorado |
|---|---|
| Status | Retired |
| First flight | 2004 |
| Retired | 2024 |
| Height | 72 m |
| Diameter | 5 m |
| Liftoff mass | 733 t |
| Liftoff thrust | 9,420 kN |
| Stages | 2 |
| Payload to LEO | 28,790 kg |
| Payload to GTO | 14,220 kg |
| Engines | 3 × RS-68A · 1 × RL10B-2 |
| Propellant | Liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen |
| Reuse | Expendable — nothing is recovered |
| Launch sites | SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral |
Flew its last mission in April 2024. Famous for setting itself briefly on fire at ignition, every time, entirely on purpose.
About United Launch Alliance
The Boeing–Lockheed joint venture that flew the US national-security manifest for two decades, now transitioning to Vulcan. Founded 2006. Official site.