Delta 4 rocket lifts off on first military mission

Spaceflight Now ^ | 3/10/2003 | Justin Ray

[Rockitz]

A Boeing Delta 4 rocket lifted off from its Cape Canaveral launch pad at 7:59 p.m. EST (0059 GMT) today on its first flight for the U.S. military. The $285 million mission will place into orbit a military communications satellite. Follow the rocket's ascent in our Mission Status Center.

[Rockitz]

Congratulations to the US Air Force and the Boeing team!

[Rockitz]

See also http://www.boeing.com/news/feature/livewebcast/d4_eelv_webcast.htm

[blam]

Bravo for a new rocket.

[July 4th]

Website saying the launch was a success. Another bird in the sky for the Air Force! (and a successful launch for the US)

[rs79bm]

bttt.

[FReepaholic]

I'd forgotten about the launch till my windows started rattling.

[July 4th]

I always get a tear in my eye when I read about stuff like this: "the DSCS constellation provides nuclear-hardened, antijam, high data rate, long-haul, communications to users worldwide."

http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d296/030304dscs.html

[George W. Bush]

Hopefully, it's a new spy satellite to park over Iraq.

Better yet, an energy weapon to microwave Saddam as soon as we get his coordinates.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

...first acknowledged flight...

[TSgt]

Hopefully, it's a new spy satellite to park over Iraq.
Yep. You're right.

[Brett66]

Glad to hear that the Delta IV launch was a success. We need this rocket and the Atlas V to not have any failures.

[glock rocks]

bump.

[PhiKapMom]

This is great news. I am so glad to see we are launching our satellites by rocket instead of depending on the Shuttle.

[Guenevere]

Actually, most are launched by rockets nowadays....Delta, Titan, Atlas.....
..not too many go by shuttle anymore.

[Rockitz]

Speaking of windows, there was only 1 minute left in the launch window when they pulled the trigger. That's cutting it close.

[Rockitz]

Two for two on the Delta IV which is certainly welcome after the Delta III debacle.

[amom]

Thanks for the post. Very cool.

[Southack]

Bravo for a new rocket engine that was made here in Alabama!

[Archimedes2000]

I hope it's Brilliant Pebbles, or any other part of the Star Wars shield that isn't talked about much any more.

But a microwave weapon would be good, too.

[Rockitz]

Huh?