page_title: Delta IV Heavy
hierarchical_section_title: Delta IV Heavy
caption_attribution_description: English: A United Launch Alliance Delta IV-Heavy rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload launches Aug. 28, 2013, from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. This was the second Delta IV-Heavy launch for Vandenberg AFB, with the first occurring Jan. 20, 2011. The rocket is the largest to ever launch from the West Coast of the United States.
context_page_description: The Delta IV Heavy is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family and the world's second highest-capacity rocket in operation, behind SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in 2004.
  The Delta IV Heavy consists of a central Common Booster Core, with two additional CBCs as liquid rocket boosters instead of the GEM-60 solid rocket motors used by the Delta IV Medium+ versions. At lift off, all three cores operate at full thrust, and 44 seconds later the center core throttles down to 55% to conserve fuel until booster separation. The boosters burn out at 242 seconds after launch and are separated as the core booster throttles back up to full thrust. The core burns out 86 seconds later, and the second stage completes the ascent to orbit.
  The rocket uses three RS-68 engines, one in the central core and one in each booster.
context_section_description: The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family and the world's second highest-capacity rocket in operation, behind SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in 2004.
  The Delta IV Heavy consists of a central Common Booster Core (CBC), with two additional CBCs as liquid rocket boosters instead of the GEM-60 solid rocket motors used by the Delta IV Medium+ versions. At lift off, all three cores operate at full thrust, and 44 seconds later the center core throttles down to 55% to conserve fuel until booster separation. The boosters burn out at 242 seconds after launch and are separated as the core booster throttles back up to full thrust. The core burns out 86 seconds later, and the second stage completes the ascent to orbit.
  The rocket uses three RS-68 engines, one in the central core and one in each booster.
caption: Delta IV Heavy launches from Vandenberg AFB
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