Support Equipment

Delta IV Medium+ (4,2)

Also known as
  • Delta IV Medium Plus (4,2)
  • Delta IV M+(4,2)
  • Delta IV Medium+ 4,2
  • Delta IV M+ (4,2)
  • Delta IV Med+ (4,2)

Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) was United Launch Alliance's two-solid-motor, four-meter-fairing Delta IV Medium+ configuration. Built around one Common Booster Core, a Delta Cryogenic Second Stage, and a composite payload fairing, it launched national-security, civil weather, science, and GPS payloads, including the GPS III SV02 Magellan mission that closed the Delta IV Medium line in 2019.

Delta IV Medium+ (4,2), Medium-lift orbital launch vehicle, Support Equipment
Image source: Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) NROL-22 launch.jpg
Profile / Specs

Specifications

Launch configuration
One Common Booster Core with two solid rocket motors
Booster engine
One RS-68A liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine rated at 705,250 lbf sea-level thrust on the GPS III SV02 mission
Solid rocket motors
Two 5 ft diameter, 53 ft long graphite-epoxy solid rocket motors, each rated at 281,000 lbf thrust
Upper stage
Delta Cryogenic Second Stage powered by one RL10B-2 engine rated at 24,750 lbf thrust
Payload fairing
4 m composite bisector payload fairing; approximately 207 ft vehicle height with the GPS III SV02 fairing
Performance
6,160 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit and 12,000 kg to the 51.6-degree reference orbit in ULA's GPS III SV02 mission booklet
Final mission
GPS III SV02 Magellan, launched from SLC-37 on August 22, 2019
Launched Satellites

This Delta IV configuration carried the GPS III SV02 mission to medium Earth orbit.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
Global Positioning System III / GPS Block III, Military navigation satellite family, Support EquipmentGlobal Positioning System III / GPS Block IIIMilitary navigation satellite family

ULA says this configuration delivered the second GPS III spacecraft, Magellan, to medium Earth orbit for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

Sources: Delta IV GPS III - United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket Launch

Mission Profile

ULA described the Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) as a four-meter-fairing Medium+ launcher with two strap-on solid rocket motors. Its GPS III SV02 mission booklet summarizes a mixed manifest of national-security, science, and GPS missions, while mission releases document GOES weather, GPS navigation, NRO, and space-surveillance payload work.

Configuration

One Common Booster Core, two solid rocket motors, one Delta Cryogenic Second Stage, and a 4 m composite payload fairing.

GPS III SV02 ascent

The GPS III Magellan mission separated its payload about 1 hour 55 minutes after liftoff, then continued upper-stage disposal events through end of mission.

Documented record

The sources reviewed here document launch-service missions and payload delivery; they do not document use of the launcher as a weapon in a named armed conflict.

Timeline

Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) Key Events

  1. Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) first launch

    ULA's GPS III SV02 mission booklet lists November 20, 2002 as the first launch date for the Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) configuration.

  2. West Coast Delta IV debut

    The U.S. Air Force reported the first West Coast launch of Boeing's Delta IV from Vandenberg, carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload from Space Launch Complex-6.

  3. GOES-O weather satellite mission

    ULA launched NASA and NOAA's GOES-O weather satellite from SLC-37 and identified the flight as the fourth Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) mission.

  4. AFSPC-4 space-surveillance payloads

    ULA's AFSPC-4 booklet says a Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) was assigned to place two GSSAP satellites and the ANGELS satellite near geosynchronous orbit.

  5. Final Delta IV Medium mission

    ULA used Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) to launch GPS III SV02 Magellan from Cape Canaveral, marking the final Delta IV Medium flight.

Media

Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) Videos

Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) Images

Delta IV Medium+ (4,2), Medium-lift orbital launch vehicle, Support Equipment - view 1
Source: Delta IV Medium+ 4,2 launches with GOES O.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Standard Missile-2 (SM-2), Shipboard surface-to-air missile family, MunitionsMunitionsStandard Missile-2 (SM-2)Shipboard surface-to-air missile familyThe Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) is a Raytheon-built shipboard surface-to-air missile family used by U.S. and allied navies for fleet area air defense and ship self-defense. Aegis ships launch SM-2 from vertical launch systems, guide it by inertial navigation and mid-course commands, and use semi-active radar or infrared terminal homing in later medium-range blocks. U.S. Navy reporting documents USS Carney firing an SM-2 in October 2023 during Red Sea defense operations against Houthi missiles and drones.

Sources

Delta IV GPS III - United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket LaunchPublisher: United Launch Alliance | Note: Supports the Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) configuration, the GPS III SV02 Magellan mission, and the launch from Space Launch Complex-37 to medium Earth orbit. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Delta IV GPS III SV02 Mission OverviewPublisher: United Launch Alliance | Note: Supports GPS III SV02 vehicle configuration, RS-68A, SRM, RL10B-2, fairing, performance, production-location, mission-profile, and final Delta IV Medium mission details. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Delta IV - United Launch AlliancePublisher: United Launch Alliance | Note: Supports Delta IV family background, service history, common booster core, and Delta Cryogenic Second Stage propulsion context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03ULA GOES-O Delta IV LaunchPublisher: United Launch Alliance | Note: Supports the GOES-O mission, the fourth Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) flight, and configuration details for a one-CBC, two-GEM-60, four-meter-fairing launch vehicle. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Air Force Delta IV Launch SuccessfulPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports the June 2006 Delta IV launch from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex-6 carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Delta IV AFSPC-4 Mission OverviewPublisher: United Launch Alliance | Note: Supports AFSPC-4 mission payloads, near-geosynchronous orbit context, GSSAP/ANGELS descriptions, and 4 m fairing, DCSS, booster, and SRM details. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Delta IV GPS IIF SV-1 Mission OverviewPublisher: United Launch Alliance | Note: Supports Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) configuration details, GPS IIF SV-1 mission context, and launch-history context for earlier Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) payloads. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) NROL-22 launch.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the launch photo used on this page. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Delta IV Medium+ 4,2 launches with GOES O.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the secondary gallery image used on this page. | Accessed: 2026-07-03