First-Flight Boeing Delta IV One Step Closer to Launch

The first-flight Boeing Delta IV rocket is one step closer to
launch.

The rocket’s first stage has arrived at Space Launch Complex 37,
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS).

“There is a sense of excitement that continues to build,” said
Dave Herst, director of Delta IV launch sites. “With the arrival of
the Boeing Delta IV first stage, we’re now only months away from when
all of our hard work pays off.”

Riding aboard the M/V Delta Mariner, the Delta IV made the
weeklong trip from Decatur, Ala., where it was built. After its
arrival, the first stage, also referred to as the common booster core
(CBC), was transported from the vessel to the Boeing Horizontal
Integration Facility at SLC 37.

The Delta team will begin processing the rocket for flight. In
addition, the team will also conduct a hot-fire test on the launch pad
prior to first launch with the rocket to ensure launch success.

At 156 feet long, the Boeing Delta IV first stage stretches the
length of three school buses while its diameter is as large as a
Boeing wide-body jet.

There are currently four assigned Delta IV launches for 2002 —
five for 2003. The customers are a mix of commercial and government
users. The first launch is currently scheduled for spring 2002.

The Boeing Co. is the largest aerospace company in the world and
the United States’ leading exporter. It is NASA’s largest contractor
and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military
aircraft.

The company’s capabilities in aerospace also include rotorcraft,
electronic and defense systems, missiles, rocket engines, launch
vehicles, satellites and advanced information and communication
systems. The company has an extensive global reach with customers in
145 countries.