Delta N6 no. 81

Long Tank Thor augmented with 3-6 Castor 2 boosters and Delta E upper stage.

Manufacturer: Douglas. Launches: 9. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 88.89%. First Launch Date: 1968-08-16. Last Launch Date: 1972-03-12. Launch data is: complete. Associated Spacecraft: Biosatellite, ITOS, Oscar, OSO, PAC, TD-1A, TETR, TOS. Liftoff Thrust: 2,140.700 kN (481,249 lbf). Total Mass: 102,907 kg (226,871 lb). Core Diameter: 2.44 m (8.00 ft). Total Length: 33.00 m (108.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 18.820 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.

3 stage vehicle consisting of 3 x Castor 2 + 1 x LT Thor DSV-2L-1B + 1 x Delta E

Apogee: 1,500 km (900 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 1,590.000 kN (357,440 lbf). Total Mass: 90,000 kg (198,000 lb). Core Diameter: 2.44 m (8.00 ft). Total Length: 33.00 m (108.00 ft).

3 stage vehicle consisting of 6 x Castor 2 + 1 x LT Thor DSV-2L-1C + 1 x Delta E

Apogee: 1,500 km (900 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 2,411.000 kN (542,014 lbf). Total Mass: 102,900 kg (226,800 lb). Total Length: 33.00 m (108.00 ft).

• Stage Number: 0. 6 x Stage: Castor 2. Gross Mass: 4,424 kg (9,753 lb). Empty Mass: 695 kg (1,532 lb). Thrust (vac): 258.915 kN (58,206 lbf). Isp: 262 sec. Burn time: 37 sec. Isp(sl): 232 sec. Diameter: 0.79 m (2.59 ft). Span: 0.79 m (2.59 ft). Length: 6.04 m (19.81 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: TX-354-3.

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Delta Thor LT. Gross Mass: 70,354 kg (155,104 lb). Empty Mass: 3,715 kg (8,190 lb). Thrust (vac): 866.710 kN (194,844 lbf). Isp: 290 sec. Burn time: 215 sec. Isp(sl): 256 sec. Diameter: 2.44 m (8.00 ft). Span: 2.44 m (8.00 ft). Length: 21.43 m (70.30 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: MB-3-3. Other designations: Long Tank Thor. Status: Out of production.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Delta E. Gross Mass: 6,009 kg (13,247 lb). Empty Mass: 785 kg (1,730 lb). Thrust (vac): 35.098 kN (7,890 lbf). Isp: 278 sec. Burn time: 400 sec. Isp(sl): 0 sec. Diameter: 1.40 m (4.50 ft). Span: 1.40 m (4.50 ft). Length: 6.28 m (20.60 ft). Propellants: Nitric acid/UDMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: AJ10-118E.

1968 August 16 - 11:24 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2. Launch Pad: SLC2E. Launch Vehicle: Delta N. Model: Thor Delta N. LV Configuration: Thor Delta N 528/D58.

• ESSA 7 Nation: USA. Program: Tiros. Payload: TOS E. Mass: 145 kg (319 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: TOS. Agency: ESSA. Perigee: 1,431 km (889 mi). Apogee: 1,473 km (915 mi). Inclination: 101.90 deg. Period: 114.90 min. COSPAR: 1968-069A. USAF Sat Cat: 3345. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• ESSA 8 Nation: USA. Program: Tiros. Payload: TOS F. Mass: 132 kg (291 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: TOS. Agency: ESSA. Perigee: 1,414 km (878 mi). Apogee: 1,464 km (909 mi). Inclination: 102.00 deg. Period: 114.60 min. COSPAR: 1968-114A. USAF Sat Cat: 3615. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• Biosatellite 3 Nation: USA. Payload: Biosat 3. Mass: 695 kg (1,532 lb). Class: Biology. Spacecraft: Biosatellite. Agency: NASA ARC. Perigee: 363 km (225 mi). Apogee: 374 km (232 mi). Inclination: 33.50 deg. Period: 92.00 min. COSPAR: 1969-056A. USAF Sat Cat: 4000. Decay Date: 1970-01-20. Biological capsule reentered 7/7/69. The intent had been to fly a 6 kg male pig-tailed monkey (Macaca nemestrina) named Bonnie in Earth-orbit for 30 days. However, after only 8.8 days in orbit, the mission was terminated because of the subject's deteriorating health. High development costs were a strong incentive for maximising the scientific return from the mission. Because of this, the scientific goals had become exceedingly ambitious over time, and a great many measurements were conducted on the single research subject flown. Although the mission was highly successful from a technical standpoint, the science results were apparently compromised.Additional Details: Biosatellite 3(1015). References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 297.

• OSO 6 Nation: USA. Payload: OSO G. Mass: 290 kg (630 lb). Class: Solar. Spacecraft: OSO. Agency: NASA GSF. Perigee: 489 km (303 mi). Apogee: 554 km (344 mi). Inclination: 32.90 deg. Period: 95.10 min. COSPAR: 1969-068A. USAF Sat Cat: 4065. Decay Date: 1981-03-07. Orbiting Solar Observatory; solar physics experiments. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• PAC 1 Nation: USA. Mass: 120 kg (260 lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: PAC. Agency: NASA GSF. Perigee: 486 km (301 mi). Apogee: 552 km (342 mi). Inclination: 32.90 deg. Period: 95.00 min. COSPAR: 1969-068B. USAF Sat Cat: 4066. Decay Date: 1977-04-28. Package Attitude Control; semi-active gravity gradient stabilization tests. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• ITOS 1 Nation: USA. Program: Tiros. Payload: Tiros M. Mass: 309 kg (681 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: ITOS. Agency: NOAA. Perigee: 1,434 km (891 mi). Apogee: 1,479 km (919 mi). Inclination: 101.80 deg. Period: 115.00 min. COSPAR: 1970-008A. USAF Sat Cat: 4320. Improved TIROS Operational Satellite. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• Oscar 5 Nation: Australia. Program: Oscar. Payload: Australis-Oscar 5. Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Class: Communications. Type: Amateur Radio. Spacecraft: Oscar. Agency: Australi. Perigee: 1,434 km (891 mi). Apogee: 1,478 km (918 mi). Inclination: 101.80 deg. Period: 115.00 min. COSPAR: 1970-008B. USAF Sat Cat: 4321. Australis-OSCAR 5 was launched piggyback with ITOS-1 (TIROS-M weather satellite. Weight 17.7 kg (9 kg of which was battery mass). Box shaped 304 x 431 x 152 mm. 2 meter monopole and 10 meter dipole antennas. It was the first amateur satellite to be remotely controlled. Built by students at The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Battery powered, Australis-OSCAR 5 transmitted telemetry on both 2 meter (144.050 MHz at 50 mW) and 10 meter (29.450 MHz at 250 mW) bands that operated for 23 and 46 days respectively. Passive magnetic attitude stabilization was performed by carrying two bar magnets to align with the Earth's magnetic field in order to provide a favorable antenna footprint. The University of Melbourne compiled tracking reports from hundreds of stations in 27 countries.References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• NOAA 1 Nation: USA. Program: Tiros. Payload: ITOS A. Mass: 306 kg (674 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: ITOS. Agency: NOAA. Perigee: 1,423 km (884 mi). Apogee: 1,473 km (915 mi). Inclination: 101.70 deg. Period: 114.80 min. COSPAR: 1970-106A. USAF Sat Cat: 4793. Built for NASA; operated by NOAA. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• CEPE Nation: USA. Program: Tiros. Agency: NASA GSF. Perigee: 1,426 km (886 mi). Apogee: 1,484 km (922 mi). Inclination: 101.70 deg. Period: 114.92 min. COSPAR: 1970-106B. USAF Sat Cat: 4794. References: 279.

• OSO 7 Nation: USA. Payload: OSO H. Mass: 635 kg (1,399 lb). Class: Solar. Spacecraft: OSO. Agency: NASA GSF. Perigee: 326 km (202 mi). Apogee: 572 km (355 mi). Inclination: 33.10 deg. Period: 93.50 min. COSPAR: 1971-083A. USAF Sat Cat: 5491. Decay Date: 1974-07-09. Orbiting Solar Observatory. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• TETR 3 Nation: USA. Payload: TETR D. Mass: 20 kg (44 lb). Class: Technology. Type: Tracking network. Spacecraft: TETR. Agency: NASA GSF. Perigee: 403 km (250 mi). Apogee: 570 km (350 mi). Inclination: 33.00 deg. Period: 94.30 min. COSPAR: 1971-083B. USAF Sat Cat: 5492. Decay Date: 1978-09-19. Test satellite for NASA's Manned Space Flight Network. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• ITOS B Nation: USA. Program: Tiros. Payload: ITOS B. Mass: 308 kg (679 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: ITOS. Agency: NASA GSF. Perigee: 293 km (182 mi). Apogee: 1,483 km (921 mi). Inclination: 102.50 deg. Period: 102.70 min. COSPAR: 1971-091A. USAF Sat Cat: 5565. Decay Date: 1972-07-21. Unusable orbit. References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• TD-1A; Thor Delta 1A Nation: Europe. Payload: TD 1A. Mass: 472 kg (1,040 lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: TD-1A. Agency: ESRO. Perigee: 523 km (324 mi). Apogee: 550 km (340 mi). Inclination: 97.60 deg. Period: 95.40 min. COSPAR: 1972-014A. USAF Sat Cat: 5879. Decay Date: 1980-01-09. Sixth satellite of ESRO. Also registered as US object 1972-14A in A/AC.105/INF.255 with orbit 95.3 min, 525 x 548 km x 97.5 deg, category B. References: 1, 2, 5, 6.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Gatland, Kenneth, Missiles and Rockets, Macmillan, New York, 1975. ISBN: 0713735058. Covers rocketry of all nations. More at amazon.com...

• Wilson, Andrew, Spaceflight, "Delta Digest", 1979, Volume 10, page 413.