Current US military thinking on launch needs

(Henry Spencer) writes:

In article . com,
Ed Kyle wrote:
Air Force will launch its last Delta II in FY2007.
Delta II will then transition to NASA-only.

Of course, the USAF hasn't actually launched any Delta IIs for quite a
while now, and neither has NASA. Both buy Delta II launches from Boeing.

A cynic would say that Delta II's departure from USAF service has been
predicted before... It's not likely to actually happen unless they get
some competing launchers in that size range.


And it's an amazingly useful launcher servicing an amazingly useful size
range. None of the glory of Heavy Lift and the associated payloads, but
a lot of useful work gets done anyhow. Shutting down Delta II because
Falcon V and, er, something else, are proven and cheaper, would be a
Good Thing (for everyone but Boeing). Shutting down Delta II because we
have Delta IV, would be a Bad Thing (for everyone but Boeing).


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