Delta, predated the shuttle, survived the shuttle, outflew the shuttle, and worked out overall cheaper than the shuttle.

12:36. 700 tons to geostationary orbit! Holy cow why did we ever move away from this rocket. Just a quick typo in the script man its all good

I started my career at McDonnell Douglas in 1979. So you ended right where my experience with Delta started, the Delta 3000. So I'm looking forward to your next video which will essentially encompass my career. We did do some work for Shuttle launched satellites. We built the PAM stages, holding cradle, and sun shades for the Shuttle launched satellites.

At 12:30 I guess you meant to say 700 kg to geostationary instead of 700 tons?😉 Very interesting history on the delta, cant wait for part 2

I've recently been looking for a video synopsis of the delta rocket in general and I couldn't find anything as informative as you'd make it. So thank you!!!

A few interesting facts about the costs of the Delta booster. In 1978 MDAC was building and launching Delta 2000 and Delta 3000 boosters as fast as they could, about one per month. At that time it was a government program, run by NASA-GSFC; a government, foreign, or commercial user had to go through Goddard SFC. The cost GSFC charged for a Delta 2000 for government users (e.g., USAF, NOAA, NATO, etc.) was $20M. Commercial users had to pay $25M, to reimburse for the cost of the government manpower. In 1977 NASA said they knew just how much a Shuttle flight was going to cost: $14M. Each user would be charged at least $18M, so NASA would have a net "profit" of $4M per Shuttle launch. And the Shuttle could carry two Delta 2000 class payloads, so that would bring in $36M, for a "profit" of $22M on that Shuttle launch. That $18M charge per user soon went up to $20M. But note that for government users it was only a little cheaper to fly on a Shuttle rather than a Delta 2000. And since only very few satellites could use the orbits attainable by the Shuttle, almost everyone needed an upper stage as well, and that would cost at least another $1M and probably a great deal more. And if your payload could have flown on a Scout at a cost of $5M, you still had to fork over that $18M-$20M. If your payload could have flown on a converted Atlas E/F ICBM the cost would have been about $15M; too bad we scrapped at least 26 of them in the early 70's due to Shuttle. In reality, the actual cost of a Shuttle mission has been calculated at $1.5 BILLION per launch, a mere 114 times as much as the $14M NASA claimed in 1977.

Just here to show some love for poor Delta III. It was great, could've been successful without those unfortunate early failures and then people getting cold feet.

Any engineer will tell you iteration is the key to a good design. You come up with an idea and original design. This is NEVER, EVER, the best design, it's just the first step. Once you get something that works, you continue to make it better in small steps. And this has to be the way it is, because you have to have a working vehicle in order to make the money to keep making new vehicles. You can see this in modern times with Space-X. They are continually upgrading and redesigning their vehicles trying to make them more reliable, more reusable, and more powerful.

I remember watching the Echo satellite go by overhead when I was a kid in Portland. It was so amazing to see something in space.

Thank you for the terminator reference. You never disappoint.

No where can you get such a great extended synopsis of the Thor and Delta history than here with Scott Manley. As my better half says, "You watching that Space Guy again.

Scott gives us a cliffhanger!! lol Thanks Scott. Looking forward to Part 2.

My brother was part of Delta (scratch that) Titan 34D program at Vandenberg. Also he was trained on the Canadian Robotic Arm the space shuttle used.

Any rocket that can launch 700T to geo is one amazing rocket. In particular considering it couldn't place nearly as much in LEO, a mere 1.8T. ~12:30 in the time line. 😅

@12:36. 700 tonnes to geo stationery orbit….. that would be one hell of a performance

Scott, you tell such great stories with enthusiasm and gusto.

Thank you Scott, that was a great story and fill in of the Delta history. Keep up the good work!

It's amazing how far back the heritage goes on so many modern launch vehicles. Thor was a long time ago. Atlas is another program that's been around since the mid-1950s.

This series is filling a huge gap for me. Thanks!

Thank you Scott, it was very interesting! Looking forward for the next part.

Scott please do videos like these for all the rocket families especially titan.

What a cool video, and what a legendary vehicle lineage!

Ed Kyle is to be thanked for chasing down documentation, as the Thor/Delta evolved.

Thanks for a history and evolution of these rockets.

Glad you made a video about delta.

When you were talking about the Japanese companies involved in their Delta variant, I was really disappointed that Tamaribuchi Heavy Manufacturing Concern was not one of the companies involved. (Hey, if Ball can make canning supplies and rocket parts, why not rocket parts and dishwasher detergent?)

Really enjoying these rocket history series - I hope we get one on the Titan next...

Thor == Scott Manley the manliest man of all then? Facts check out.

We Love You, Scott!

Brilliant. Thank you again sir.

Great video- Thank You!

I ❤️❤️❤️ your videos Scott ! You’re the best 👍

Delta II series was my second favorite when i was young(first was Ares series). Look that pile of boosters powering the rocket. Its so charming.

Pretty interesting indeed! 😃 Lately I've been watching lots of history about military airplanes and other stuff... This matches it perfectly! Thanks, Scott! 😊 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

I love this series 🍿

Thats slick.. time traveler,sky net,there wouldn't be a cyberdine systems in there some where would there...as long as it doesn't be come aware... great video 👍👍👍

I love that first Thor Delta chart showing lineage, but sadly I can't find it online.

Space history cliffhanger! Nice.

The irony of DETLA being the acronym for doubly extended three letter acronym is not lost here. They just kept. Adding. Things.

Solid skynet terminator reference! I tip my hat sir.

Love the deadpan delivery of your reference to Terminator @12:45-13:05! Skynet 2 indeed! Well played sir. Well played.

The history of Titan next, pretty please!

It’s really happening!!! We’re getting every single rocket family!!

Scott leaving us on a cliff hanger.

I love how Scott explain like a piece of cake.

I'm in so much suspense!... will Space Shuttle take over all space flight into the future? Tune in next shocking and very surprising episode!!!... :D

Got an old spice ad for Thor’s love and thunder before video. It’s like fate. Or algorithms.

Glad I came back for part 1. Things would have been odd if I didn't. 🙄👍

Imagine what it was like growing up in Cocoa Beach from the very early 50's on and seeing all of these amazing machines fly...

If your a Space X fan or not, you have to admit that reusable rockets were a game changer.

Who knows! Um, as it happens I was working in the GPS Phase IIb design and deployment at the time of "what happens". Delta lived longer and launched the satellites with my work on them. Then into the 1990s I visited a friend who worked on the telemetry systems for the Deltas and other toys NASA had. L and I were in Fla for a convention. We visited Hal. Among other things he was able to take us up an unoccupied Delta gantry. Such a view! Then he took us to the block house. That is where I learned the Delta had some specially calibrated instruments used to stage it and launch it, organic computers with very well trained fingers on push buttons. Yup, in the early/mid 90s the Delta was still a ground based push button rocket to handle all the staging and such. And here I'd envisioned fancy automation through the on board guidance systems with 10s to 100s of microsecond accuracy. Ah well, it was still a thrill and gave me a serious notion of the size of those later generation Delta behemoths. The complex featured two towers. We could not go up the other one. It was partially loaded with a Delta, if I remember correctly. It was still being hooked up and tested pre launch. There was a small chance that some of my equipment and designs were involved on that launch. I managed to get my fingers into a fair portion of the GPS flight articles and prelaunch testing articles. So over all that visit was a real thrill that built a new appreciation of that rocket system. {^_^}

I thought you had this already done… 🤔Anyway, glad to see another update!

It's a bit disturbing that a nuclear weapon delivery system had to be "modified for reliability."

I'm a 43yr old kid....when it come to rockets, the bigger, more powerful, and coolest thing to watch at lift off.....HUGE fan of the DeltaIV Heavy....can't wait till part 2 !!! And no, I don't have a "complex" about bigger more powerful things.....I don't think...might have to ask my wife about that...🤣

I am bummed out that ULA is not keeping the name Delta and Atlas. I like the cliffhanger/suspense at the end of this video.

So excited

8:44 Hey Paul!

Great content! (Just feeding the algorithm)

I observed the 1/25/83 IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) launch as it passed Huntington Beach from VAFB. When the solids detached, the entire sky ionized with a brief flash that I’ll never forget! Does that sort of thing happen much?.

I remember my father taking me out to the backyard one night to watch Echo-1A going overhead.

"Thor's Children" Iconic title!

Omg what a cliff hanger!

mm I think next episode we will learn that the space shuttle ran supreme and took all the government contracts, but because the government kept it so busy they managed to keep the delta around to launch comercial satelites. Lets see next time if I am correct or not. I cannot wait!

Come on now i need to start reading wikipedia! Can't wait for part 2

Delta vs. Shuttle FIGHT!

Can You make a video on the Titan rocket thank you PS I’ve been watching you for a few years you are One of my favorite KZfaqer

Did the Solid Rocket Boosters have gimbals etc in a manner akin to that video you made on the Space Shuttle’s or were they essentially “dumb” ? If so, did that system evolve over time?

Were the Japanese Delta's exempt from the rule that required them to launch at an angle? I seem to remember Japan launching their rockets pre-angled, but maybe that was just for one brief era? I guess once the rocket reaches a certain size they can't launch that way anymore?

12:42… 🤣. Would’ve been the 2nd best sequel in the franchise.

Nice

got love that naming scheme. could they help microsoft name (number) the next incarnation of windows?

Skynet experienced a failure on launch? Did anyone check if an individual named John Conner was involved?

We have a few Titan engines, and a centaur upper stage at Wings over the rockies!

Of course I'm getting Thor commercials for old spice

Impressive feat by Japan to copy the Delta through license and then improve upon it!

@1:31 Agile Rocket development!

@Scott Manley can you do titan family next?

I know you've got a schedule but you really missed out on posting this on thor's-day.

nice, it will be already sequel Love and Rockets

12:37 700 tons to geo stationary orbit is pretty impressive :D

Do you have an episode on the Titan family planned?

700 tons to GEO is pretty darn good!

What are your thoughts on Skylon?

Fun fact, Nippon is the Japanese word for Japan so those Japanese rockets that were originally just clones of Delta rockets are named after Japan which I presume was some sort of marketing ploy like made in America (until you look under the hood).

Was there any of the original Thor left at the end? If not, was it still a Delta, it a new rocket?

I am curious.. You say (at around 8:16) the N6 and M6 used a staggered SRB ignition but kept the spent SRBs until they were all ditched .. What was the point of not getting rid of the spent SRBs and carrying them along ? Isn't it like carrying around dead weight - isn't the point of staging to actually discard spent hardware to reduce the weight ? Was there any engineering concern of detaching 3 of the 6 SRBs early ? Isn't the point of a booster or boosters to get rid of it/them as soon as possible ? Carrying those spent SRB for a free ride is bound to significantly reduce the mass to the desired orbit ! (Or is there something I missed ?)

delta ❤️

Children of the KoRn? I didn't know that Scott is a KoRn fan :D

What a cliffhanger man.

So Japan did the same thing with rockets that they like to do with jet fighters, rather than just buying them straight up from us and using them as is. Kinda like how the F-15 became the F-15J, built by Mitsubishi. Also the F-16 eventually becoming the Mitsubishi F-2.. Very cool, I didn't know they also did that with rockets.

What will happen next? Who Knows?... I mean we know, but in the late 70's, there was optimism.

Rocket story time with Scott ... gather 'round nerdy kids!

Isn't a solid rocket motor as final stage an odd choice? I would have thought you would want something throttleable for final orbital adjustments.

Those Delta B's look like internal ultrasound probes.

You mention a Japanese company helping build the N-1. What is the name of that company written out? It was hard to tell from your comment and a quick search didn't obviously give the name.

Question: Are strap on solid fuel rocket boosters really strapped on?

Any chance we could get a breakdown of ARCA's new water rocket?

"700 tons to geostationary ordbit". I think Scott just unveiled his secret Mega Sea Dragon project xD

Now with cliffhangers.

Perhaps a quibble, but at 12:30 you mentioned that the new engines based upon the LEM descent engine allowed 1.7 tons to LEO, but 700 TONS to Clarke orbit (geostationary)? Huh?