LAUNCH MISSION
USAF Delta IV M DSCS III A-3
Launch Pad
Space Launch Complex 37B
Description
The U.S. Air Force Space Command operates 10 Phase III DSCS satellites providing defense officials and battlefield commanders secure voice and high rate data communications. The DSCS III system also transmits space operations and early warning data to various systems and users.
Delta IV M
Rocket Description
Delta IV is a group of five expendable launch systems in the Delta rocket family introduced in the early 2000s. Originally designed by Boeing's Defense, Space & Security division for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, the Delta IV became a United Launch Alliance (ULA) product in 2006. The Delta IV was and is primarily a launch vehicle for United States Air Force military payloads, but has also been used to launch a number of U.S. government non-military payloads and a single commercial satellite.