Poll Your favorite orbital launch vehicle!

[Codz]

My favorite manned launch vehicle is the Titan II. My favorite unmanned launch vehicle is the Delta IV.

 

[Jarvitä]

My favorite manned launch vehicle is the Titan II. My favorite unmanned launch vehicle is the Delta IV.

In my opinion, the reasoning behind the decision is much more interesting than the decision by itself. It's just a personal preference that doesn't affect anything, whereas the reasoning behind it actually shows something about the person.

This question is easy: which current/historic (or even future) launch vehicle (family) is your favorite, and state your reasoning.

 

[Codz]

I like the Titan II GLV because it put one of NASA's most important and historic programs into orbit safely and succesfully. I prefer the Delta IV for unmanned launches because of it's near perfect launch success rate and it's heavy lift capabilities.

 

[Izack]

Favour the Atlas V for the reasons T.Neo posted.

 

[Loru]

Titan IV - great design and looks

 

[Unstung]

My favorite is also the Atlas V, especially the capability to use an odd number of SRBs.

 

[Wood]

Current: Ariane 5

Why let the US and the former Soviet Union have all the fun?

Future: Skylon

Because wings on a rocket are as useless as wheels on an aeroplane.

 

[T.Neo]

My favorite is also the Atlas V, especially the capability to use an odd number of SRBs.

Another fun fact about the Atlas V, is that none of the SRB configurations- not even the even-numbered ones, are symmetrical;

 

[Keatah]

Whatever can make it into space. That's good enough for me!

 

[Chub777]

Historical:

Pretty much the same reason as N_Molson's.

Current:

Has launched many unmanned probes with few disasters.

Future:

Could be used for future BEO missions and heavy launches(and is it just me or does this picture look like it came from Orbiter?).

 

[T.Neo]

Current: Delta II

Is the Delta II still current, or is it already historical? I thought the last launch had already occured, but it's still offered on the ULA website. Could it still be produced/is there hardware in storage?

is it just me or does this picture look like it came from Orbiter?

It looks very much like it came from Orbiter, though I can't recognise the addon... probably one of the older SpaceX/Falcon addons.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Is the Delta II still current, or is it already historical? I thought the last launch had already occured, but it's still offered on the ULA website. Could it still be produced/is there hardware in storage?



It looks very much like it came from Orbiter, though I can't recognise the addon... probably one of the older SpaceX/Falcon addons.

In short:

For the Delta 2 rocket, today's flight was the vehicle's 151st over the past 22 years and extended its reliability record to 98.7 percent.

Although five additional rockets are available in inventory for sales, there are no further launches are currently booked, creating a sense of uncertainty about its future.

Despite not knowing when or if another Delta 2 will fly, program officials avoided calling too much attention to the NPP launch as potentially the rocket's last.

"We're trying to tread a fine line there. We recognize it's the last contracted, which means something to us because here we are in 2011 and we know even if future Delta 2's are contracted they're not going to occur for a few years. But it's not a celebratory end of the program type of occasion for us," said Tim Dunn, the NASA launch director.

"We definitely prefer not to call it the last Delta 2. The last contracted Delta 2 is totally accurate, but we certainly hope at ULA that it's not the last," added Vernon Thorp, ULA's program manager for NASA missions.

The remaining vehicles could be purchased by the U.S. government or commercial satellite operators to haul upcoming payloads to orbit, specifically smaller-weight spacecraft currently being built that would be suitable fits with the Delta 2 to reach polar orbit from Vandenberg.

"There's no formal competition happening right now, but there are programs within NASA who are interested and there are discussions taking place within NASA. That's probably about all we can say about that," Thorp said.

"And I can tell you ULA has been contacted by both NASA and potential commercial customers inquiring about the availability. So there's preliminary discussions going on."

The marketplace indicates what possible business Delta 2 could win would need Vandenberg as the launch base for high inclination orbits and not Cape Canaveral's equatorial orbits.

"It is likely -- almost certain -- that any future missions would launch from Vandenberg, and I think the most likely timeframe that we are looking would be the 2014-2015 timeframe," Thorp said.

See our story from earlier this month on the Delta 2 rocket being re-accepted into the lineup of rockets NASA could buy.

As for Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg, that pad would have to be maintained to support any future Delta 2 flights from there.

"ULA has an obligation to keep it in shape, if you will, to keep maintaining it for 90 days after (NPP's) launch. Depending on how things shape up, if it looks by that time, by the end of that 90 days, that there are some definite possibilities (for future launches), then we'll continue maintaining it," Thorp said.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Past: Titan family. Aerojet Sacramento built the first and second stage engines.
Present:
Atlas V. Again, Aerojet Sacramento makes parts for it.
Near Future:
SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
Far future:
SLS.

 

[Chub777]

In short:

I never even knew that. I guess it still counts as current.

 

[Wally]

The N1 launch must have been awesome. So many engines...

 

[Eli13]

Historical
The Titan Family of launchers. It had a long service life and it did it's job well.

Current
Chalk another vote up for the Atlas V. For all the reasons previously mentioned.

I don't feel like doing a future one.

 

[Pipcard]

Currently my favorite is the H-IIA:

 

[ADSWNJ]

I love all the heavies, especially the Atlas V and the Saturn V. But Ariane V deserves a place somewhere on this list. (Hmm - all 5th generations). It's a sexy looking vehicle, and nicely symmetric too.

 

[NovaSilisko]

Past launcher - Titan series, for the reasons Scruce gave
Current launcher - Atlas V, excellent reliability and proven technology
Unflown launcher - Evolved Saturn V for its immense potential

 

[Kyle]