THROWBACKTHISDAY; The Delta II rocket makes its maiden flight

                         

Russia’s announcement of the launch of Sputnik, the first satellite in space, shocked the world not for its grand achievement – overcoming the earth’s gravity, launching an object to previously untold heights – but for its symbolism, that the same rockets that carried the satellite can also carry nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles over oceans. This was not just idle speculation: quite literally, the first Delta rockets, carrying much of American spacecraft into orbit, were modified Thor missiles. The Delta rockets were eventually phased out in favor of the space shuttle program, but made a comeback after the Challenger disaster.

On this day, November 26, in 1990, the Delta II rocket made its debut flight, more efficient and able to carry much higher payloads into orbit.

The Delta II rockets carried more than 100 vehicles into space. Every major mission to Mars went on Delta rockets, but even as they were in use, NASA was already carrying on design of the next generation. The current generation of Delta IV rockets are able to lift 13 metric tons into geosynchronous orbit, not only for NASA but for telecommunication companies around the globe.

THROWBACKTHISDAY; makes it 25 years and TBT Blog remembers.