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Launch SuccessfulUnited States Air Force

Delta 7420-10C: Cloudsat

CloudSat is a satellite which uses millimeter-wavelength radar to measure the altitude and properties of clouds. Advanced cloud-profiling radar gathers information on the vertical structure of highly dynamic cloud systems. This new information provides the first global measurements of cloud properties that will help scientists compile a database of cloud measurements to improve how clouds are represented in global climate and numerical weather prediction models.

Friday, 28 April 2006
Delta II 7420-10C

Mission Data

United States Air Force
🇺🇸United States Air ForceEst. 1947
Launch VehicleDelta II 7420-10C
Vehicle FamilyDelta
Vehicle Record8 of 8 launches (100%)
Provider TypeGovernment
Agency Record972 successes / 106 failures (90%)
Success Streak68 consecutive
Mission TypeEarth Science
Target OrbitMedium Earth Orbit
Launch PadSpace Launch Complex 2W
Location🇺🇸 Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA USA
Orbital Launches This Year#18
Agency Launches This Year#1
Launches From This Pad99
Launches From This Site923
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Delta II 7420-10C

Delta II was an expendable launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family and entered service in 1989. Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000, and the two later Delta 7000 variants ("Light" and "Heavy"). The rocket flew its final mission ICESat-2 on 15 September 2018, earning the launch vehicle a streak of 100 successful missions in a row, with the last failure being GPS IIR-1 in 1997.

Launch Site

Space Launch Complex 2W · 34.7556°N 120.6224°W

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.