Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No performance specsNo structured payload capacity rows are linked to this vehicle family. | |||||
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Delta 4H | Not stated | 8 | Retired |
Delta 4H A | Not stated | 5 | Retired |
Delta 4H B | Not stated | 3 | Retired |
Delta 4M | Not stated | 3 | Retired |
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 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
Delta 4M+(4,2) | Not stated | 13 | Retired |
Delta 4M+(4,2) A | Not stated | 2 | Retired |
Delta 4M+(5,2) | Not stated | 1 | Retired |
Delta 4M+(5,2) A | Not stated | 2 | Retired |
Delta 4M+(5,4) | Not stated | 4 | Retired |
Delta 4M+(5,4) A | Not stated | 4 | Retired |
The Delta IV Heavy second stage is powered by a single RL10B-2 hydrogen-fueled engine generating 11,226 kg of thrust.
The NROL-82 launch was the ninth Delta IV Heavy flight supporting the National Reconnaissance Office.
A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket launched the NROL-82 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Aerojet Rocketdyne supplied the engines that powered the ULA Delta IV Heavy rocket that launched NROL-82.
United Launch Alliance launched the classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite NROL-82 on a Delta IV Heavy rocket on 2021-04-26 at 1:47 p.m. Pacific from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
United Launch Alliance last launched a Delta IV Heavy on 2020-12-10 on the NROL-44 mission.
NROL-82 is the first of four remaining Delta IV Heavy missions that the U.S. Space Force contracted with United Launch Alliance and are projected to be completed by 2024.
This Delta IV Heavy configuration is comprised of three common core boosters each powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68A liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine producing a combined total of more than £2,100,000of thrust.
A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket is in final preparations to launch the NROL-82 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office to support national security.
The Delta IV Heavy launched the Parker Solar Probe on its mission to the Sun in August 2018.
The RS-68–powered Delta IV made its inaugural flight in 2002.
Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RS-68A completed its final hot-fire acceptance test for use on the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on the B-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
The Delta IV Heavy launched NASA’s Orion spacecraft on the EFT-1 mission in December 2014.
United Launch Alliance will launch the Delta IV Heavy NROL-82 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.
The Delta IV Heavy NROL-82 mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2021-04-26.
RL10 sales to Vulcan, Atlas V, and Delta IV will partially offset Aerojet Rocketdyne’s revenue losses from retiring engines but will not replace past peak sales of RS-68 and AJ-60.
Space Delta 4 operates the satellites and ground radar that provide strategic and theater missile warning to the United States and international partners.
United Launch Alliance plans to retire the Delta IV Heavy by the middle of the decade as it transitions to the Vulcan Centaur.
The GEM 60 motor flew 86 motors across 26 Delta IV launches before retiring in 2019.
The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage used on SLS Block 1 is based on the Delta 4 upper stage.