Delta IV Heavy

The Delta IV Heavy is an American launcher in the Delta family using only cryogenic liquid fuel engines. Its first takeoff was on 21 December 2004.

The Delta IV Heavy is 70.7 metres high. It can carry over 25 tonnes of payload into LEO. In 2002 its development costs were 500 million dollars, and in 2004 the launch cost was assessed at 254 million dollars.

Delta IV Heavy, credits DR.

The first stage of the rocket has three RS-68 cryogenic engines (LOX/LH2 fuel) giving 420 seconds of specific thrust in a vacuum, while the second has an RL-10B-2 cryogenic engine (LOX/LH2 mixture) giving 462 seconds of specific thrust in a vacuum.