Delta 4 carries military satellite into orbit- first launch since Columbia

FLORIDA TODAY CAPE CANAVERAL -- Boeing's Delta 4 fulfilled its role as part of the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program by delivering its first military satellite to orbit Monday night, after pushing the launch to the very end of the window. The liftoff was dramatic, as the slow-moving Delta 4 Medium appeared to float into the clear sky on a crown of fire. As it rose, flames then licked up around the skirt designed to protect the engine's inner workings from heat. A Boeing Delta 4 rocket lifts off Monday night from Pad 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Engineers who designed the engine were surprised by the creep of flame and will be reviewing images of the launch to try to determine why it occurred, Boeing spokesman Robert Villanueva said. It was the third launch attempt in three days. Saturday's launch was scrubbed because of technical issues, and poor weather stopped the attempt Sunday. The countdown, which started at 6:44 p.m. Monday, was pushed to 7:59 p.m. after such issues as problems with communications at the Antigua tracking station and a video-camera telemetry glitch. The rocket lifted off from Pad 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was only the second launch by a Delta 4, and the first in the Medium configuration. The Delta 4 and Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 were developed under the EELV program, which gave each contractor $500 million with an eye toward having two reliable ways to get military payloads to space. An additional $539 million investment in the program is in President George W. Bush's new budget to maintain this "assured access," Patrick Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Michael Rein said. The money should help the rocket makers weather a soft worldwide launch market. The Delta carried a $200 million Defense Satellite Communications System craft made by Lockheed Martin. The DSCS III A3, a satellite designed to provide secure communications to defense officials and battlefield commanders, will be put into service this summer. It will be part of a constellation of similar satellites that are designed to last 10 years but have been known to last 20. The satellite was originally built in 1978 as a test model but never launched. It has been completely refurbished twice. The launch was the first from the Space Coast since shuttle Columbia was destroyed upon re-entry Feb. 1. "We want NASA to note that our thoughts and prayers have been with our space partners since that February morning," Rein said last week during a press briefing about the Delta 4 launch.

It was crystal clear last night and I watched this until the end of the 1st stage. The replay on TV looks like some of the flames were going up instead of down from the nozzel. Looks like it made it up OK though.

I'm glad to see the Delta 4 medium finally go up. One reason the big Delta and Atlas were developed was so that DoD would not have to depend on the busy shuttle.

Was the Delta moving fast when the flames creeped upwards? If so, perhaps it was aerodynmic pressure that caused it.

Yes, the rocket was still moving fairly slowly since it was just after lift-off. I'm not sure how long it lasted because the TV went to a more wide-angle view. Also, it seemed like the thing was in slow-motion at first - seems like it took forever to clear the tower. This may be normal for this rocket, I don't know.

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