Delta II Facts for Kids

A Delta II rocket taking off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The Delta II was a special rocket used to send many important things into space. It was part of the Delta family of rockets. These rockets were first designed by a company called McDonnell Douglas. Later, this company joined with Boeing in 1997.

From 2006, Delta II rockets were built by United Launch Alliance. This is a joint company owned by Boeing and Lockheed Martin. They built rockets mainly for the US government. Boeing Launch Services also provided Delta II rockets for private companies.

The Story of the Delta II Rocket
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The Story of the Delta II Rocket

The Delta II rockets were based on older rockets called Thor rockets. These Thor rockets were built in the 1950s. They were originally used for carrying large missiles. The very first Thor rocket flew on January 26, 1957.

Why the Delta II Was Built

The first Delta II rocket was launched on February 14, 1989. This rocket was developed after a major space accident in 1986. After this event, the US Air Force needed a new way to launch its GPS satellites. These satellites help us find our way around the world. The Delta II became a very reliable way to send them into orbit.

Where Delta II Rockets Launched From

By 2018, the Delta II rocket had flown 156 times. These launches happened from two main places. They took off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. They also launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Successful Missions and Challenges

Most Delta II launches were very successful. Only two launches did not go as planned. On August 5, 1995, a rocket part failed. This meant the Koreasat 1 satellite ended up in a lower orbit than planned. On January 17, 1997, another Delta II rocket, carrying the GPS IIR-1 satellite, exploded shortly after liftoff.

The Last Flight of Delta II

The Delta II rocket made its final flight on September 15, 2018. On this last mission, it carried the ICESat-2 satellite into space. This marked the end of a long and successful career for the Delta II rocket.