After Nearly 64 Years, Delta Rockets Come To An End

Delta IV Heavy launch

The penultimate Delta IV Heavy was launched from Cape Canaveral SFS on June 22, 2023, for the NROL-68 mission, setting the stage for the program’s completion with the NROL-70 launch on the last Delta IV Heavy on April 9.

Credit: United Launch Alliance
What began as the U.S. Air Force’s first operational ballistic missile ended more than six decades of service as one of the country’s oldest and most reliable space launch vehicles with a final flight for the National Reconnaissance Office. The last Delta IV Heavy rocket lifted off from Cape...

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