Europe's big year in space

Three different types of launchers all operating from French Guiana at
once: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12197109

Pat

On Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:05:40 -0800, Pat Flannery
wrote:

Three different types of launchers all operating from French Guiana at
once: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12197109

In a year when the US will have five different types of launchers all
operating from Cape Canaveral/KSC: Space Shuttle, Atlas V, Delta II,
Delta IV, and Falcon 9.

Brian

On 18/01/2011 3:04 PM, Brian Thorn wrote:
On Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:05:40 -0800, Pat
wrote:

Three different types of launchers all operating from French Guiana at
once: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12197109

In a year when the US will have five different types of launchers all
operating from Cape Canaveral/KSC: Space Shuttle, Atlas V, Delta II,
Delta IV, and Falcon 9.

Brian

Last of the shuttle flights; one of the last Delta II flights and one of
the (very) few Delta IV flights. That leaves Atlas V and Falcon 9.

On Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:59:38 +1100, Alan Erskine
wrote:

In a year when the US will have five different types of launchers all
operating from Cape Canaveral/KSC: Space Shuttle, Atlas V, Delta II,
Delta IV, and Falcon 9.

Last of the shuttle flights; one of the last Delta II flights and one of
the (very) few Delta IV flights. That leaves Atlas V and Falcon 9.

Why the Delta IV hate? It isn't going anywhere, with only one fewer
launch than Atlas V in 2010 and 2011 (two of these are Heavies.) There
were seven EELV launches from Canaveral in 2011, up from six in 2010.
In comparison, there were six Ariane V launches in 2010.

Note that Vandenberg currently supports five different vehicles as
well, but will lose Delta II and gain Falcon 9 in the coming years
(plus Orbital is looking into a Taurus II pad at VAFB as well.)

2011 U.S. Launch Schedule

Cape Canaveral...
Space Shuttle: February 24, April 19, June 27
Delta IV: March 11, June 23, December 6
Atlas V: March 4, April 30, August 5, November 25
Delta II: September 8
Falcon 9: July 15, October 8, December 7

Vandenberg AFB...
Delta IV: January 20
Atlas V: March 31
Delta II: June 9, October 25
Taurus: February 23
Minotaur: February 5

Wallops Flight Facility...
Minotaur I: April 6
Taurus II: December 14

Alaska...
Minotaur IV: May

Omelek...
Falcon 1e First Flight?

On 1/18/2011 8:21 PM, Brian Thorn wrote:


Why the Delta IV hate? It isn't going anywhere, with only one fewer
launch than Atlas V in 2010 and 2011 (two of these are Heavies.) There
were seven EELV launches from Canaveral in 2011, up from six in 2010.
In comparison, there were six Ariane V launches in 2010.

I still think it's dumb to cancel Delta II; it's a very reliable
booster, and the fact you can custom tailor it to different payload
weights and destinations by changing the type and number of the solid
strap-ons means it can do a lot of different missions on a fairly low
budget.

Pat