USAF Delta II 7420-10C Cloudsat
Delta II 7420-10C
Status
Success
Date
28 APR 2006
10:02
Mission Overview
CloudSat is a satellite which uses millimeter-wavelength radar to measure the altitude and properties of clouds. Advanced cloud-profiling radar gathers information on the vertical structure of highly dynamic cloud systems. This new information provides the first global measurements of cloud properties that will help scientists compile a database of cloud measurements to improve how clouds are represented in global climate and numerical weather prediction models.
Rocket
Delta II 7420-10C
Mission Type
Earth Science
Orbit
Medium Earth Orbit
Stages
3
Livestream
Not availableRocket Details
Delta II was an expendable launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family and entered service in 1989. Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000, and the two later Delta 7000 variants ("Light" and "Heavy"). The rocket flew its final mission ICESat-2 on 15 September 2018, earning the launch vehicle a streak of 100 successful missions in a row, with the last failure being GPS IIR-1 in 1997.
Height
39 m
Diameter
2.44 m
Launch Mass
170 T
Thrust
3,020 kN