The flight readiness and the future of the Boeing Delta Ⅳ Heavy expendable launch vehicle

摘要

In early December 2003, the first Delta Ⅳ Heavy launch vehicle was successfully rolled out of the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) and erected on Space Launch Complex (SLC) 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The vehicle remains on the launch pad, undergoing a series of launch readiness tests in preparation for liftoff on a qualification flight in the fall of 2004. The Heavy launch vehicle represents the largest of the five vehicles of the Delta Ⅳ family, which consists of the Delta Ⅳ Medium, three Delta Ⅳ Medium vehicles with solid strap-on rocket motors (Medium-Plus variants), and the Delta Ⅳ Heavy. All vehicle configurations utilize a common booster core (CBC). The Heavy employs two additional CBCs, serving as liquid rocket boosters for added payload capability. The vehicle measures 71.7 m in height when fully stacked with a pay load. This paper describes in detail the Delta Ⅳ Heavy launch vehicle and summarizes the flight readiness process in preparation for a successful flight, including wet dress rehearsals. A summary of the sequence of events of the Heavy qualification flight is also included.