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Launch Vehicles
Vehicle family profile

Delta 4

Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.

Manufacturer unknownRetired
Admin
Variants
10
Canonical variants linked to this family.
Historical missions
45
Missions in the public mission table with actual launch dates.
Peak listed capacity
Unknown
Maximum payload capacity across listed variants and orbits.

Launch Cadence

Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.

YearHistorical missionsForecast launches
201710
201820
201930
202010
202110
202210
202310
202410

Performance Specs

Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.

VariantOrbitCapacityAltitudeInclinationSource

No performance specs

No structured payload capacity rows are linked to this vehicle family.

Recent Missions

Latest launched missions using variants in this family.

MissionVariantLaunch
USA 353 Mission
Delta 4H B
Apr 9, 2024
USA 345 Mission
Delta 4H B
Jun 22, 2023
USA 338 Mission
Delta 4H B
Sep 24, 2022
USA 314 Mission

Variants

Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.

VariantStagesMissionsStatus
Delta 4H
Not stated8Retired
Delta 4H A
Not stated5Retired
Delta 4H B
Not stated3Retired
Delta 4M
Not stated3Retired
Delta 4H A
Apr 26, 2021
USA 311 Mission
Delta 4H A
Dec 11, 2020
GPS III SV02 Mission
Delta 4M+(4,2) A
Aug 22, 2019
WGS 10
Delta 4M+(5,4) A
Mar 16, 2019
USA 290 Mission
Delta 4H A
Jan 19, 2019

Forecasted Missions

Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.

MissionVariantAnnounced

No forecasted missions

No upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family.

Delta 4M+(4,2)
Not stated13Retired
Delta 4M+(4,2) A
Not stated2Retired
Delta 4M+(5,2)
Not stated1Retired
Delta 4M+(5,2) A
Not stated2Retired
Delta 4M+(5,4)
Not stated4Retired
Delta 4M+(5,4) A
Not stated4Retired
Track
Mentions
184
All verified mentions of this launch vehicle family in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

The Delta IV Heavy configuration completed 15 launches including the NROL-68 mission.

GeneralValue 3.6Jun 22, 2023Space Systems Command’s statement as it launches National Reconnaissance Office mission aboard United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket

The final Delta IV Heavy is scheduled to launch in 2024 as United Launch Alliance transitions its future missions from the East and West Coasts to the Vulcan rocket.

Plan
Page4of10
General
Value 4.0
Jun 22, 2023
UPDATE 3: A diamond in the night as ULA’s Delta IV Heavy launches NRO’s NROL-68 mission

The Delta IV Medium configuration completed 29 launches from 2002 to 2019, including 25 National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions, three NASA missions, and one commercial mission.

PlanGeneralValue 2.5Jun 22, 2023Space Systems Command’s statement as it launches National Reconnaissance Office mission aboard United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying the NROL-68 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office launched on 2023-06-22 at 5:18 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

PlanValue 4.7Jun 22, 2023UPDATE 3: A diamond in the night as ULA’s Delta IV Heavy launches NRO’s NROL-68 mission

SLC-6 was reactivated in the 1990s for a handful of Lockheed Martin Athena launches and was turned over to United Launch Alliance in 2006 for the Delta 4 program.

CapabilityRelationshipsPlanValue 4.0Apr 25, 2023SpaceX to take over West Coast launch pad previously used by ULA

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command, the National Reconnaissance Office, and United Launch Alliance are preparing to launch a Delta IV Heavy rocket no earlier than 2023-04-20 from Space Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

PlanValue 4.6Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

NSSL Delta IV Medium launches began in 2006 and completed in 2019.

PlanGrowthValue 4.0Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

Pituffik Space Base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron, which is part of Space Delta 4 headquartered at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 3.2Apr 6, 2023Space Force renames Greenland’s Thule Air Base

The Delta IV family has a record of 15 Delta IV Heavy launches including the NROL-68 mission.

GeneralValue 3.5Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

Following the NROL-68 launch, the final Delta IV Heavy is projected to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in 2024.

PlanValue 4.0Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

NROL-68 will be the 10th Delta IV Heavy vehicle launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

PlanGeneralValue 3.5Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

NSSL has two remaining Delta IV Heavy launches procured under the Launch Vehicle Production Services contract.

RelationshipsPlanValue 4.0Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

The Delta IV Medium configuration recorded 29 launches from 2002 to 2019, comprising 25 NSSL launches, three NASA launches, and one commercial launch.

PlanGeneralValue 3.0Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

The National Security Space Launch program has launched a total of 37 Delta IV vehicles comprised of 25 Mediums and 12 Heavies.

GeneralValue 4.0Apr 6, 2023UPDATE 1: SSC’s NRO mission launch aboard ULA Delta IV Heavy is delayed

Space Delta 4’s 2nd Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado is operating SBIRS GEO-6 and all systems are performing nominally.

CapabilityValue 4.0Mar 27, 2023SBIRS GEO-6 Satellite control authority transferred to SpOC

Vandenberg Space Force Base hosted the final Delta IV Heavy launch of the National Reconnaissance Office mission NROL-91.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Oct 8, 2022Kleos’ Observer Mission satellites pass testing + significant milestone + are ready to ship to Cape Canaveral SFS for launch to meet NRO objectives

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying the NROL-91 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office lifted off on 2022-09-24 at 3:25 p.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.5Sep 26, 2022United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches National Security Mission with Delta IV Heavy Rocket

United Launch Alliance plans to retire the Delta IV Heavy in 2024 to make room for the Vulcan rocket.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Sep 24, 2022UPDATE 1: ULA Delta IV Heavy dispatches the national security enveloped NROL-91 to orbit for Space Systems Command (SSC) + the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying the NROL-91 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office lifted off on 2022-09-24 at 3:25 p.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

PlanGeneralValue 4.2Sep 24, 2022UPDATE 1: ULA Delta IV Heavy dispatches the national security enveloped NROL-91 to orbit for Space Systems Command (SSC) + the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

The Delta 4 vehicle last flew in April 2021 when it launched NROL-82.

PlanValue 3.5Sep 24, 2022NRO satellite flies to orbit in Delta 4’s final West Coast launch