1
00:00:06,470 --> 00:00:03,990
they say that most eras end

2
00:00:08,629 --> 00:00:06,480
but such is not the case for a unique

3
00:00:11,509 --> 00:00:08,639
group of people who build and launch a

4
00:00:13,430 --> 00:00:11,519
pioneering american launch vehicle whose

5
00:00:14,709 --> 00:00:13,440
satellites revolutionized weather

6
00:00:16,470 --> 00:00:14,719
forecasting

7
00:00:19,029 --> 00:00:16,480
brought live television events from

8
00:00:21,349 --> 00:00:19,039
around the world into your home

9
00:00:23,029 --> 00:00:21,359
and investigated the mysteries of our

10
00:00:25,029 --> 00:00:23,039
universe

11
00:00:27,109 --> 00:00:25,039
during the early years of america's

12
00:00:29,349 --> 00:00:27,119
space program most of the public's

13
00:00:30,390 --> 00:00:29,359
interest was focused on man going to the

14
00:00:33,350 --> 00:00:30,400
moon

15
00:00:35,990 --> 00:00:33,360
but during that same incredible epic a

16
00:00:39,270 --> 00:00:36,000
story unfolded about a little publicized

17
00:00:41,590 --> 00:00:39,280
launch vehicle named delta which orbited

18
00:00:43,430 --> 00:00:41,600
history-making satellites that helped to

19
00:00:46,869 --> 00:00:43,440
change the culture of hundreds of

20
00:00:49,590 --> 00:00:46,879
millions of people living on our planet

21
00:00:50,790 --> 00:00:49,600
today delta has a vital date with

22
00:00:53,270 --> 00:00:50,800
destiny

23
00:00:55,350 --> 00:00:53,280
it is about to launch a scientific

24
00:00:57,189 --> 00:00:55,360
messenger to keep an appointment with

25
00:01:00,229 --> 00:00:57,199
the beginning of time

26
00:01:02,950 --> 00:01:00,239
the creation of the universe

27
00:01:05,350 --> 00:01:02,960
this is the story about delta

28
00:01:07,750 --> 00:01:05,360
and its people in their pursuit of

29
00:01:10,710 --> 00:01:07,760
excellence with a legendary rocket which

30
00:01:24,870 --> 00:01:10,720
earned the reputation of being the best

31
00:01:30,550 --> 00:01:28,149
today marks the 189th delta launching

32
00:01:32,710 --> 00:01:30,560
over a 30-year period

33
00:01:35,590 --> 00:01:32,720
this magnificent flying machine will

34
00:01:38,630 --> 00:01:35,600
send the cosmic background explorer or

35
00:01:41,190 --> 00:01:38,640
kobe for short into space to study the

36
00:01:43,990 --> 00:01:41,200
radiation remaining from the cataclysmic

37
00:01:46,550 --> 00:01:44,000
explosion called the big bang which

38
00:01:49,910 --> 00:01:46,560
spawned the birth of our universe some

39
00:01:58,389 --> 00:01:49,920
15 billion years ago

40
00:02:03,670 --> 00:02:01,749
two minutes 25 seconds and counting

41
00:02:07,350 --> 00:02:03,680
to understand this space vehicle's

42
00:02:09,669 --> 00:02:07,360
remarkable success record of 94

43
00:02:11,830 --> 00:02:09,679
one must look back into time to

44
00:02:14,869 --> 00:02:11,840
understand the philosophy of the people

45
00:02:16,949 --> 00:02:14,879
who first created the indomitable delta

46
00:02:20,630 --> 00:02:16,959
in the embryonic space age of the

47
00:02:25,750 --> 00:02:23,350
america's space program in the 1950s was

48
00:02:27,830 --> 00:02:25,760
struggling with failure after failure

49
00:02:29,110 --> 00:02:27,840
being chronicled in the day's top news

50
00:02:32,390 --> 00:02:29,120
stories

51
00:02:34,949 --> 00:02:32,400
then on october 4th 1957

52
00:02:37,509 --> 00:02:34,959
sputnik shocked the world

53
00:02:39,589 --> 00:02:37,519
sending unprecedented electronic beeps

54
00:02:42,150 --> 00:02:39,599
to radio and television stations around

55
00:02:44,309 --> 00:02:42,160
the world as commentators struggled to

56
00:02:46,949 --> 00:02:44,319
explain the phenomenon to hundreds of

57
00:02:48,869 --> 00:02:46,959
millions of people

58
00:02:50,390 --> 00:02:48,879
the fact that the soviet union was the

59
00:02:53,110 --> 00:02:50,400
first into space

60
00:02:56,150 --> 00:02:53,120
tarnished america's technological image

61
00:02:59,589 --> 00:02:56,160
and challenged its leadership worldwide

62
00:03:02,949 --> 00:02:59,599
public concerns soared higher than ever

63
00:03:05,430 --> 00:03:02,959
on january 31st of 1958 the united

64
00:03:07,350 --> 00:03:05,440
states orbited its first satellite

65
00:03:10,390 --> 00:03:07,360
explorer 1.

66
00:03:13,990 --> 00:03:10,400
vanguard 1 followed about 2 months later

67
00:03:18,229 --> 00:03:14,000
the space race had begun

68
00:03:21,750 --> 00:03:18,239
on april 28 1959 delta was born when the

69
00:03:24,149 --> 00:03:21,760
newly created space agency named nasa

70
00:03:26,390 --> 00:03:24,159
signed a 24 million dollar contract with

71
00:03:29,270 --> 00:03:26,400
the douglas aircraft company now the

72
00:03:31,350 --> 00:03:29,280
mcdonnell douglas corporation for 12

73
00:03:33,350 --> 00:03:31,360
launch vehicles

74
00:03:35,750 --> 00:03:33,360
delta's configuration would be a

75
00:03:38,789 --> 00:03:35,760
three-stage launch vehicle the first

76
00:03:41,110 --> 00:03:38,799
stage utilizing the thor missile and the

77
00:03:43,670 --> 00:03:41,120
second and third stage hardware from the

78
00:03:45,910 --> 00:03:43,680
vanguard rocket

79
00:03:48,229 --> 00:03:45,920
managed by nasa's goddard space flight

80
00:03:51,270 --> 00:03:48,239
center delta was to be an interim

81
00:03:54,390 --> 00:03:51,280
vehicle to fill a two-year gap when more

82
00:03:56,070 --> 00:03:54,400
powerful vehicles would replace it

83
00:03:58,630 --> 00:03:56,080
launch vehicles like delta are

84
00:04:01,350 --> 00:03:58,640
complicated dangerous devices that

85
00:04:02,869 --> 00:04:01,360
require disciplined vigilance to achieve

86
00:04:04,949 --> 00:04:02,879
success

87
00:04:07,509 --> 00:04:04,959
during an era of change when rocket

88
00:04:09,750 --> 00:04:07,519
technology was in its infancy delta's

89
00:04:12,949 --> 00:04:09,760
early success record was a remarkable

90
00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:14,869
it is ironic that the first delta

91
00:04:20,069 --> 00:04:18,000
launching on a friday the 13th of may in

92
00:04:22,069 --> 00:04:20,079
1960 failed

93
00:04:23,510 --> 00:04:22,079
presenting the delta team with its first

94
00:04:25,749 --> 00:04:23,520
major challenge

95
00:04:27,749 --> 00:04:25,759
pinpoint the problem

96
00:04:29,909 --> 00:04:27,759
after exhaustive ground testing the

97
00:04:31,189 --> 00:04:29,919
reason for the failure was identified

98
00:04:33,350 --> 00:04:31,199
and fixed

99
00:04:36,870 --> 00:04:33,360
three months later delta scored its

100
00:04:38,629 --> 00:04:36,880
first success by orbiting echo1 a

101
00:04:40,870 --> 00:04:38,639
communication satellite that would be

102
00:04:42,629 --> 00:04:40,880
seen by more people than any other

103
00:04:44,629 --> 00:04:42,639
man-made object

104
00:04:46,550 --> 00:04:44,639
president eisenhower took part in the

105
00:04:48,870 --> 00:04:46,560
first transmission

106
00:04:50,390 --> 00:04:48,880
it is a great personal satisfaction to

107
00:04:54,070 --> 00:04:50,400
participate

108
00:04:55,990 --> 00:04:54,080
in this experiment in communications

109
00:04:59,030 --> 00:04:56,000
involving the use of the satellite

110
00:05:02,150 --> 00:04:59,040
balloon known as echo

111
00:05:03,350 --> 00:05:02,160
following echo delta ran off 22 straight

112
00:05:05,510 --> 00:05:03,360
successes

113
00:05:07,510 --> 00:05:05,520
rapidly earning the reputation of being

114
00:05:09,590 --> 00:05:07,520
the most versatile and reliable of

115
00:05:10,469 --> 00:05:09,600
american launch systems earning the

116
00:05:12,070 --> 00:05:10,479
nickname

117
00:05:14,629 --> 00:05:12,080
workhorse

118
00:05:16,950 --> 00:05:14,639
as reliability improved over the years

119
00:05:19,830 --> 00:05:16,960
delta passed the test of time by

120
00:05:23,590 --> 00:05:19,840
achieving 43 successful launchings in a

121
00:05:25,830 --> 00:05:23,600
row some 25 years later

122
00:05:27,909 --> 00:05:25,840
delta's success can be traced not only

123
00:05:30,070 --> 00:05:27,919
to superior hardware provided by its

124
00:05:32,070 --> 00:05:30,080
contractors but to the people of the

125
00:05:34,710 --> 00:05:32,080
government industry team

126
00:05:36,830 --> 00:05:34,720
especially their first leader a crew-cut

127
00:05:39,590 --> 00:05:36,840
engineer named bill

128
00:05:41,670 --> 00:05:39,600
schindler one of the youngest project

129
00:05:43,670 --> 00:05:41,680
managers in the history of nasa

130
00:05:46,070 --> 00:05:43,680
schindler brought to the delta program a

131
00:05:47,670 --> 00:05:46,080
sound engineering background and a

132
00:05:51,270 --> 00:05:47,680
simple philosophy

133
00:05:54,070 --> 00:05:51,280
keep costs down make it work and always

134
00:05:56,230 --> 00:05:54,080
satisfy your spacecraft customer

135
00:05:58,230 --> 00:05:56,240
this philosophy filtered down to every

136
00:06:03,749 --> 00:05:58,240
member of the nasa mcdonnell douglas

137
00:06:09,510 --> 00:06:07,110
creative honest highly competitive and a

138
00:06:11,670 --> 00:06:09,520
tireless worker schindler had a vision

139
00:06:15,270 --> 00:06:11,680
that delta could provide flexible

140
00:06:17,270 --> 00:06:15,280
dependable access to space exploration

141
00:06:19,270 --> 00:06:17,280
he knew where he wanted to go and

142
00:06:21,590 --> 00:06:19,280
possess the leadership ability to bring

143
00:06:24,390 --> 00:06:21,600
the delta people along with it

144
00:06:27,350 --> 00:06:24,400
more than a thousand people engineers

145
00:06:28,629 --> 00:06:27,360
administrators technicians manufacturers

146
00:06:31,430 --> 00:06:28,639
suppliers

147
00:06:33,590 --> 00:06:31,440
all dedicated to the common goal

148
00:06:37,270 --> 00:06:33,600
the delta team established a standard of

149
00:06:40,790 --> 00:06:37,280
excellence acclaimed worldwide

150
00:06:42,629 --> 00:06:40,800
during the 1960s yuri gagarian a russian

151
00:06:43,830 --> 00:06:42,639
became the first human to orbit the

152
00:06:45,270 --> 00:06:43,840
earth

153
00:06:47,110 --> 00:06:45,280
president john f kennedy was

154
00:06:49,029 --> 00:06:47,120
assassinated

155
00:06:50,870 --> 00:06:49,039
chubby checker and the twist were the

156
00:06:53,110 --> 00:06:50,880
rage of the nation

157
00:06:55,589 --> 00:06:53,120
and american astronaut neil armstrong

158
00:06:57,749 --> 00:06:55,599
became the first human to walk on the

159
00:07:00,550 --> 00:06:57,759
moon

160
00:07:02,710 --> 00:07:00,560
meanwhile with little public recognition

161
00:07:05,990 --> 00:07:02,720
delta chalked up an impressive list of

162
00:07:08,070 --> 00:07:06,000
difficult launchings and space firsts

163
00:07:10,710 --> 00:07:08,080
one of delta's many firsts was the

164
00:07:12,629 --> 00:07:10,720
united kingdom's ariel the first

165
00:07:14,790 --> 00:07:12,639
international satellite to be launched

166
00:07:17,670 --> 00:07:14,800
by the united states

167
00:07:19,909 --> 00:07:17,680
this 1962 launching marked the first of

168
00:07:21,589 --> 00:07:19,919
many international space missions

169
00:07:23,589 --> 00:07:21,599
whereby the united states would be

170
00:07:25,990 --> 00:07:23,599
reimbursed hundreds of millions of

171
00:07:27,990 --> 00:07:26,000
dollars for the use of delta

172
00:07:30,629 --> 00:07:28,000
contributing substantially to the united

173
00:07:32,870 --> 00:07:30,639
states balance of payments and creating

174
00:07:34,629 --> 00:07:32,880
thousands of new jobs in american

175
00:07:39,430 --> 00:07:34,639
industry

176
00:07:41,589 --> 00:07:39,440
also during 1962 at t's telstar one the

177
00:07:44,230 --> 00:07:41,599
first privately built communication

178
00:07:46,230 --> 00:07:44,240
satellite beamed the first live

179
00:07:49,589 --> 00:07:46,240
television show from france to the

180
00:07:56,830 --> 00:07:53,189
at t paid the u.s treasury 2.6 million

181
00:07:59,510 --> 00:07:56,840
dollars for the delta telstar

182
00:08:01,670 --> 00:07:59,520
launching possibly the most remarkable

183
00:08:04,309 --> 00:08:01,680
of the early delta launchings was the

184
00:08:06,629 --> 00:08:04,319
world's first geosynchronous satellite

185
00:08:09,589 --> 00:08:06,639
named cincom1

186
00:08:12,230 --> 00:08:09,599
from its vantage point 22 300 miles

187
00:08:14,710 --> 00:08:12,240
above the equator simcom remained at the

188
00:08:16,869 --> 00:08:14,720
same point above earth making it

189
00:08:19,510 --> 00:08:16,879
possible for the first time to beam

190
00:08:22,390 --> 00:08:19,520
telephone calls and television programs

191
00:08:25,270 --> 00:08:22,400
like the 1964 olympics from one

192
00:08:28,309 --> 00:08:25,280
continent to another

193
00:08:30,150 --> 00:08:28,319
this unprecedented orbital task silenced

194
00:08:32,389 --> 00:08:30,160
those critics who said that achieving a

195
00:08:34,949 --> 00:08:32,399
synchronous orbit was too risky to be

196
00:08:37,990 --> 00:08:34,959
worthwhile

197
00:08:40,310 --> 00:08:38,000
in 1965 delta launched the first

198
00:08:42,550 --> 00:08:40,320
operational communication satellite

199
00:08:45,430 --> 00:08:42,560
early bird for the newly created

200
00:08:47,670 --> 00:08:45,440
communications satellite corporation

201
00:08:49,990 --> 00:08:47,680
as the result of early bird telephone

202
00:08:53,030 --> 00:08:50,000
capacity across the atlantic increased

203
00:08:54,790 --> 00:08:53,040
by two-thirds with costs per call

204
00:08:56,790 --> 00:08:54,800
dropping sharply

205
00:09:00,470 --> 00:08:56,800
in a conference call with statesmen in

206
00:09:02,870 --> 00:09:00,480
europe president lyndon b johnson said

207
00:09:04,630 --> 00:09:02,880
this moment marks a milestone in the

208
00:09:06,949 --> 00:09:04,640
history of communications between

209
00:09:08,790 --> 00:09:06,959
peoples and nations

210
00:09:11,269 --> 00:09:08,800
for the first time

211
00:09:13,190 --> 00:09:11,279
the man-made satellite of earth

212
00:09:14,790 --> 00:09:13,200
is being put into commercial service as

213
00:09:17,269 --> 00:09:14,800
a means of communication between

214
00:09:19,590 --> 00:09:17,279
continents

215
00:09:21,430 --> 00:09:19,600
the occasion is as happy as it is

216
00:09:23,590 --> 00:09:21,440
historic

217
00:09:26,150 --> 00:09:23,600
satellites launched by delta fueled a

218
00:09:28,550 --> 00:09:26,160
revolution in communications technology

219
00:09:30,790 --> 00:09:28,560
providing the world with a box seat view

220
00:09:33,030 --> 00:09:30,800
of history being made

221
00:09:36,310 --> 00:09:33,040
when american astronaut neil armstrong

222
00:09:39,430 --> 00:09:36,320
walked on the moon's surface in 1969

223
00:09:41,990 --> 00:09:39,440
700 million people from the earth's four

224
00:09:44,870 --> 00:09:42,000
corners watched his movements

225
00:09:47,430 --> 00:09:44,880
and heard his historical first words

226
00:09:55,350 --> 00:09:47,440
live via satellite

227
00:10:00,070 --> 00:09:57,750
communication satellites projected all

228
00:10:03,030 --> 00:10:00,080
nations into the mainstream of modern

229
00:10:06,310 --> 00:10:03,040
world communications new avenues to

230
00:10:08,710 --> 00:10:06,320
trade education entertainment and the

231
00:10:11,910 --> 00:10:08,720
many kinds of political discourse

232
00:10:14,150 --> 00:10:11,920
essential to international understanding

233
00:10:17,030 --> 00:10:14,160
in only 10 years communication

234
00:10:20,389 --> 00:10:17,040
satellites achieved what had eluded man

235
00:10:23,430 --> 00:10:20,399
for 10 000 years

236
00:10:25,670 --> 00:10:23,440
according to folklore mark twain said

237
00:10:28,230 --> 00:10:25,680
everybody talks about the weather but

238
00:10:30,389 --> 00:10:28,240
nobody does anything about it

239
00:10:32,470 --> 00:10:30,399
but delta did something about it by

240
00:10:36,150 --> 00:10:32,480
launching a series of weather satellites

241
00:10:37,990 --> 00:10:36,160
during the 1960s named tyros

242
00:10:40,310 --> 00:10:38,000
kairos provided the national weather

243
00:10:42,150 --> 00:10:40,320
service with man's first view of the

244
00:10:44,630 --> 00:10:42,160
world's cloud cover

245
00:10:46,870 --> 00:10:44,640
constantly on guard for those inevitable

246
00:10:48,230 --> 00:10:46,880
moments when friendly weather turns to

247
00:10:50,069 --> 00:10:48,240
foe

248
00:10:52,550 --> 00:10:50,079
weather measuring instruments aboard

249
00:10:55,030 --> 00:10:52,560
these sentinels in the sky tell us when

250
00:10:57,670 --> 00:10:55,040
a far away low pressure system over our

251
00:10:59,269 --> 00:10:57,680
oceans may develop into a dangerous

252
00:11:01,190 --> 00:10:59,279
hurricane

253
00:11:03,750 --> 00:11:01,200
weather satellites created a new

254
00:11:06,790 --> 00:11:03,760
industry resulting in large economic

255
00:11:09,670 --> 00:11:06,800
benefits to the agriculture trucking and

256
00:11:11,590 --> 00:11:09,680
shipping industries

257
00:11:14,150 --> 00:11:11,600
what have better forecasts from these

258
00:11:16,550 --> 00:11:14,160
weather observers men's in estimated

259
00:11:19,110 --> 00:11:16,560
cost and human benefits

260
00:11:21,430 --> 00:11:19,120
a three to five day improved weather

261
00:11:23,750 --> 00:11:21,440
prediction can save the agricultural

262
00:11:25,750 --> 00:11:23,760
industry an estimated five billion

263
00:11:27,910 --> 00:11:25,760
dollars annually

264
00:11:30,470 --> 00:11:27,920
and shipping operations in the arctic

265
00:11:33,430 --> 00:11:30,480
great lakes and st lawrence seaway can

266
00:11:35,430 --> 00:11:33,440
save about five million dollars a year

267
00:11:37,590 --> 00:11:35,440
or how about the countless lives and

268
00:11:39,509 --> 00:11:37,600
millions of dollars in property damage

269
00:11:42,389 --> 00:11:39,519
saved through advance warnings of

270
00:11:44,870 --> 00:11:42,399
destructive hurricanes

271
00:11:47,430 --> 00:11:44,880
during delta's first decade it also sent

272
00:11:50,069 --> 00:11:47,440
a series of scientific messengers named

273
00:11:53,269 --> 00:11:50,079
explorer into orbits around the earth

274
00:11:54,790 --> 00:11:53,279
moon and sun to study the solar wind

275
00:11:57,350 --> 00:11:54,800
cosmic rays

276
00:11:59,829 --> 00:11:57,360
and planet earth's magnetic field and

277
00:12:03,110 --> 00:11:59,839
radiation belts

278
00:12:06,069 --> 00:12:03,120
as the decade of the 60s ended 68 of the

279
00:12:08,710 --> 00:12:06,079
74 delta launchings worked to near

280
00:12:12,150 --> 00:12:08,720
perfection for an astounding batting

281
00:12:14,230 --> 00:12:12,160
average of 92 percent

282
00:12:16,949 --> 00:12:14,240
to accommodate spacecraft growth during

283
00:12:18,870 --> 00:12:16,959
the 60s several engineering innovations

284
00:12:21,670 --> 00:12:18,880
made it possible for delta to orbit

285
00:12:23,829 --> 00:12:21,680
spacecraft 10 times heavier

286
00:12:26,069 --> 00:12:23,839
and the good news for delta customers

287
00:12:28,629 --> 00:12:26,079
was that the price increase was less

288
00:12:31,590 --> 00:12:28,639
than the cost of inflation

289
00:12:33,269 --> 00:12:31,600
during the 70s a ceasefire was declared

290
00:12:36,470 --> 00:12:33,279
in vietnam

291
00:12:38,870 --> 00:12:36,480
hank aaron hit his 715th home run

292
00:12:42,550 --> 00:12:38,880
besting babe ruth's record

293
00:12:44,790 --> 00:12:42,560
america celebrated its 200th birthday

294
00:12:46,629 --> 00:12:44,800
and delta's list of customers looked

295
00:12:49,590 --> 00:12:46,639
like the telephone directory for the

296
00:12:51,590 --> 00:12:49,600
united nations

297
00:12:54,150 --> 00:12:51,600
delta's schedule included a host of

298
00:12:56,230 --> 00:12:54,160
scientific and communications satellites

299
00:13:00,790 --> 00:12:56,240
designed and built by the european space

300
00:13:03,910 --> 00:13:00,800
agency indonesia japan italy germany

301
00:13:04,829 --> 00:13:03,920
france canada united kingdom

302
00:13:07,670 --> 00:13:04,839
and

303
00:13:10,150 --> 00:13:07,680
nato these foreign space teams were

304
00:13:13,670 --> 00:13:10,160
totally dependent on a highly reliable

305
00:13:15,829 --> 00:13:13,680
cost effective on schedule launch system

306
00:13:18,870 --> 00:13:15,839
delta met their needs

307
00:13:22,150 --> 00:13:18,880
for delta it was an international decade

308
00:13:25,670 --> 00:13:22,160
popularizing the word reimbursable with

309
00:13:28,150 --> 00:13:25,680
38 of the 76 launchings being paid for

310
00:13:30,470 --> 00:13:28,160
by the customer

311
00:13:32,790 --> 00:13:30,480
during the decade of the 70s the need

312
00:13:34,629 --> 00:13:32,800
for advanced communications satellites

313
00:13:37,430 --> 00:13:34,639
expanded rapidly

314
00:13:39,670 --> 00:13:37,440
delta launched 29 communication

315
00:13:42,790 --> 00:13:39,680
satellites for foreign countries and

316
00:13:45,430 --> 00:13:42,800
private companies like comsat rca and

317
00:13:48,150 --> 00:13:45,440
western union to deliver live television

318
00:13:50,870 --> 00:13:48,160
reports instant telephone calls and

319
00:13:53,750 --> 00:13:50,880
computer data exchanges

320
00:13:56,069 --> 00:13:53,760
nearly 200 nations and territories now

321
00:13:58,230 --> 00:13:56,079
depend on this communication service

322
00:14:01,269 --> 00:13:58,240
which has annual revenues in the

323
00:14:07,030 --> 00:14:03,670
in a remote eskimo village in canada's

324
00:14:08,069 --> 00:14:07,040
yukon children learn their abcs via

325
00:14:10,069 --> 00:14:08,079
space

326
00:14:12,870 --> 00:14:10,079
they watch sesame street and other

327
00:14:15,829 --> 00:14:12,880
children's programs courtesy of canada's

328
00:14:17,829 --> 00:14:15,839
anic communication satellite launched by

329
00:14:19,750 --> 00:14:17,839
delga

330
00:14:22,550 --> 00:14:19,760
another delta launched communications

331
00:14:24,870 --> 00:14:22,560
satellite named palapa united the

332
00:14:26,790 --> 00:14:24,880
country of indonesia in a way not

333
00:14:29,590 --> 00:14:26,800
previously possible

334
00:14:31,509 --> 00:14:29,600
palapa provides telephone and television

335
00:14:33,910 --> 00:14:31,519
channels to a nation of more than one

336
00:14:36,550 --> 00:14:33,920
hundred sixty million people living on

337
00:14:39,269 --> 00:14:36,560
more than thirteen thousand islands in

338
00:14:42,629 --> 00:14:39,279
asia covering a stretch of ocean some

339
00:14:44,870 --> 00:14:42,639
three thousand one hundred miles long

340
00:14:47,509 --> 00:14:44,880
this remarkable satellite system makes

341
00:14:49,750 --> 00:14:47,519
it possible for schools and universities

342
00:14:52,389 --> 00:14:49,760
industrial plants and oil drilling

343
00:14:56,870 --> 00:14:52,399
platforms at sea to keep in constant

344
00:15:00,629 --> 00:14:58,550
in 1972

345
00:15:03,189 --> 00:15:00,639
delta faced one of its most demanding

346
00:15:05,430 --> 00:15:03,199
tests the launching of a pathfinding

347
00:15:08,470 --> 00:15:05,440
satellite named earth resources

348
00:15:09,990 --> 00:15:08,480
technology satellite later renamed

349
00:15:12,470 --> 00:15:10,000
landsat

350
00:15:14,870 --> 00:15:12,480
costing more than 100 million dollars

351
00:15:17,670 --> 00:15:14,880
landsat was the most expensive satellite

352
00:15:19,750 --> 00:15:17,680
launched up to that time by delta

353
00:15:22,150 --> 00:15:19,760
to carry out the landsat mission the

354
00:15:24,790 --> 00:15:22,160
delta team had to make major changes in

355
00:15:26,629 --> 00:15:24,800
the propulsion and guidance system

356
00:15:29,189 --> 00:15:26,639
recognizing what was at stake with the

357
00:15:31,269 --> 00:15:29,199
international earth sciences community

358
00:15:33,670 --> 00:15:31,279
the delta team made the necessary

359
00:15:35,030 --> 00:15:33,680
vehicle modifications without a previous

360
00:15:37,110 --> 00:15:35,040
test launching

361
00:15:40,470 --> 00:15:37,120
a vivid testimonial of their faith in

362
00:15:42,150 --> 00:15:40,480
themselves to make the system work

363
00:15:44,710 --> 00:15:42,160
and work it did

364
00:15:46,790 --> 00:15:44,720
providing dramatic detailed pictures

365
00:15:50,230 --> 00:15:46,800
containing new information about man's

366
00:15:51,430 --> 00:15:50,240
most essential needs food water and

367
00:15:53,430 --> 00:15:51,440
energy

368
00:15:56,310 --> 00:15:53,440
forcing us to become wiser and more

369
00:15:58,069 --> 00:15:56,320
efficient custodians of earth's limited

370
00:16:00,550 --> 00:15:58,079
resources

371
00:16:03,110 --> 00:16:00,560
landsat provided scientists with a view

372
00:16:04,310 --> 00:16:03,120
of the eerie and unexpected beauty of

373
00:16:07,350 --> 00:16:04,320
our planet

374
00:16:09,590 --> 00:16:07,360
enabling them to identify diseased crops

375
00:16:12,389 --> 00:16:09,600
map earth's crust for potential oil

376
00:16:15,110 --> 00:16:12,399
deposits locate pollution

377
00:16:17,670 --> 00:16:15,120
monitor the depletion of our forests and

378
00:16:20,829 --> 00:16:17,680
inventory fresh water supplies the most

379
00:16:23,910 --> 00:16:20,839
important single resource on

380
00:16:25,430 --> 00:16:23,920
earth most productive telescope in the

381
00:16:27,829 --> 00:16:25,440
solar system

382
00:16:29,110 --> 00:16:27,839
that's what astronomers call the iue

383
00:16:32,790 --> 00:16:29,120
satellite

384
00:16:36,870 --> 00:16:32,800
launched with delta in 1978 iue is still

385
00:16:39,590 --> 00:16:36,880
operating after 12 years open to all

386
00:16:41,590 --> 00:16:39,600
scientists worldwide some sixteen

387
00:16:44,150 --> 00:16:41,600
hundred astronomers from all five

388
00:16:47,829 --> 00:16:44,160
continents have used iue for their

389
00:16:49,670 --> 00:16:47,839
investigation of the universe

390
00:16:52,310 --> 00:16:49,680
by the end of the nineteen seventies

391
00:16:57,749 --> 00:16:52,320
delta's reliability over 20 years and

392
00:16:59,829 --> 00:16:57,759
150 launchings was an impressive 93

393
00:17:02,389 --> 00:16:59,839
to meet the rapidly changing demands of

394
00:17:05,029 --> 00:17:02,399
the satellite community delta once again

395
00:17:07,590 --> 00:17:05,039
underwent several changes such as the

396
00:17:10,069 --> 00:17:07,600
straight eight look making its diameter

397
00:17:11,750 --> 00:17:10,079
the same from the bottom upward

398
00:17:13,750 --> 00:17:11,760
delta's performance for placing a

399
00:17:16,069 --> 00:17:13,760
satellite into synchronous transfer

400
00:17:17,189 --> 00:17:16,079
orbit increased to over two thousand

401
00:17:19,829 --> 00:17:17,199
pounds

402
00:17:25,909 --> 00:17:19,839
quite a difference from the 146 pound

403
00:17:30,630 --> 00:17:28,150
in the decade of the eighties the united

404
00:17:32,470 --> 00:17:30,640
states shocked the sporting world by

405
00:17:33,990 --> 00:17:32,480
defeating the russian hockey team in the

406
00:17:35,990 --> 00:17:34,000
winter olympics

407
00:17:37,110 --> 00:17:36,000
president reagan was shot and seriously

408
00:17:39,190 --> 00:17:37,120
wounded

409
00:17:41,430 --> 00:17:39,200
sally ride became the first american

410
00:17:43,990 --> 00:17:41,440
woman to go into space

411
00:17:45,190 --> 00:17:44,000
the berlin wall opened to unrestricted

412
00:17:47,990 --> 00:17:45,200
travel

413
00:17:49,909 --> 00:17:48,000
and for the delta rocket it was business

414
00:17:52,070 --> 00:17:49,919
as usual

415
00:17:53,990 --> 00:17:52,080
beginning its third decade delta's

416
00:17:57,029 --> 00:17:54,000
performance continued to grow to

417
00:17:59,750 --> 00:17:57,039
accommodate its customers of the 1980s

418
00:18:02,310 --> 00:17:59,760
a host of very large communications

419
00:18:05,510 --> 00:18:02,320
weather and landsat satellites to

420
00:18:08,789 --> 00:18:05,520
constantly monitor our planet's pulse

421
00:18:10,789 --> 00:18:08,799
several pioneering scientific satellites

422
00:18:13,110 --> 00:18:10,799
and a challenging military mission for

423
00:18:14,630 --> 00:18:13,120
the defense department

424
00:18:16,390 --> 00:18:14,640
spacecraft weight for these

425
00:18:19,750 --> 00:18:16,400
communication satellites tipped the

426
00:18:21,909 --> 00:18:19,760
scale at almost 3 000 pounds

427
00:18:24,710 --> 00:18:21,919
some of these switchboards in the sky

428
00:18:26,230 --> 00:18:24,720
can handle 24 000 telephone calls

429
00:18:29,350 --> 00:18:26,240
simultaneously

430
00:18:32,549 --> 00:18:29,360
or 24 television channels compared to

431
00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:32,559
240 phone calls or only one television

432
00:18:42,470 --> 00:18:39,590
one of several scientific missions was

433
00:18:44,950 --> 00:18:42,480
the 1983 launching of a satellite named

434
00:18:47,990 --> 00:18:44,960
iras which explored the heretofore

435
00:18:50,230 --> 00:18:48,000
invisible infrared universe

436
00:18:52,870 --> 00:18:50,240
iras discovered the first evidence for

437
00:18:55,510 --> 00:18:52,880
another planetary system like our own in

438
00:18:59,029 --> 00:18:55,520
its first stage of growth

439
00:19:01,270 --> 00:18:59,039
another 1983 mission involving a complex

440
00:19:03,990 --> 00:19:01,280
scientific mission to study cosmic

441
00:19:06,310 --> 00:19:04,000
x-rays for the european space agency

442
00:19:08,789 --> 00:19:06,320
severely tested delta's ability to be

443
00:19:10,470 --> 00:19:08,799
launched on short notice

444
00:19:13,190 --> 00:19:10,480
because of scheduling problems with

445
00:19:15,190 --> 00:19:13,200
another rocket the exosat satellite had

446
00:19:17,669 --> 00:19:15,200
to be launched over a period of only a

447
00:19:19,590 --> 00:19:17,679
few days and the target date was only

448
00:19:21,830 --> 00:19:19,600
four months away

449
00:19:24,710 --> 00:19:21,840
the delta team accomplished a two-year

450
00:19:27,909 --> 00:19:24,720
task during this four-month deadline

451
00:19:30,870 --> 00:19:27,919
successfully launching exosat precisely

452
00:19:35,590 --> 00:19:33,590
the 180th delta launching was one of the

453
00:19:37,430 --> 00:19:35,600
greatest challenges in the vehicle's

454
00:19:39,430 --> 00:19:37,440
distinguished history

455
00:19:42,230 --> 00:19:39,440
the mission was the first for defense

456
00:19:44,630 --> 00:19:42,240
purposes and was given a top priority by

457
00:19:47,110 --> 00:19:44,640
the president of the united states

458
00:19:49,669 --> 00:19:47,120
in less than two years the delta people

459
00:19:52,470 --> 00:19:49,679
assembled the launch vehicles built new

460
00:19:54,789 --> 00:19:52,480
unique orbital stages and integrated the

461
00:19:57,669 --> 00:19:54,799
scientific payloads for this national

462
00:19:59,430 --> 00:19:57,679
defense space spectacular

463
00:20:01,590 --> 00:19:59,440
the mission proved that a network of

464
00:20:04,070 --> 00:20:01,600
american defense rockets could intercept

465
00:20:06,149 --> 00:20:04,080
and destroy potential enemy missiles

466
00:20:07,750 --> 00:20:06,159
before they could strike our cities or

467
00:20:09,990 --> 00:20:07,760
other targets

468
00:20:12,470 --> 00:20:10,000
this extraordinary program exceeded all

469
00:20:14,630 --> 00:20:12,480
objectives and was called the most

470
00:20:16,870 --> 00:20:14,640
complex command and controlled space

471
00:20:19,190 --> 00:20:16,880
mission ever conducted by the united

472
00:20:22,070 --> 00:20:19,200
states

473
00:20:24,149 --> 00:20:22,080
what made delta unique compared to other

474
00:20:26,310 --> 00:20:24,159
launch vehicle systems

475
00:20:28,950 --> 00:20:26,320
it was the delta philosophy over three

476
00:20:30,470 --> 00:20:28,960
decades which never changed

477
00:20:32,390 --> 00:20:30,480
reliability

478
00:20:33,430 --> 00:20:32,400
it had to work

479
00:20:36,310 --> 00:20:33,440
service

480
00:20:37,909 --> 00:20:36,320
meet the satellite customers needs

481
00:20:40,310 --> 00:20:37,919
cost effectiveness

482
00:20:42,710 --> 00:20:40,320
keep the price down

483
00:20:46,310 --> 00:20:42,720
improvements systematically phased in

484
00:20:48,390 --> 00:20:46,320
over several years using proven systems

485
00:20:50,390 --> 00:20:48,400
careful but constant change

486
00:20:52,230 --> 00:20:50,400
using the benefits of state-of-the-art

487
00:20:54,870 --> 00:20:52,240
technology

488
00:20:57,190 --> 00:20:54,880
and delta folks at nasa mcdonnell

489
00:20:59,430 --> 00:20:57,200
douglas and the many contractors who

490
00:21:00,549 --> 00:20:59,440
devoted most of their careers working

491
00:21:02,470 --> 00:21:00,559
together

492
00:21:04,710 --> 00:21:02,480
making it a way of life

493
00:21:07,510 --> 00:21:04,720
rather than a job

494
00:21:09,990 --> 00:21:07,520
30 years yet the thrill of launch is

495
00:21:13,110 --> 00:21:10,000
still there for the delta people as the

496
00:21:24,789 --> 00:21:13,120
countdown for the delta 189 kobe mission

497
00:21:29,750 --> 00:21:27,110
another delta heads for space

498
00:21:31,750 --> 00:21:29,760
this time with a satellite named kobe

499
00:21:34,470 --> 00:21:31,760
whose instruments will peer back to the

500
00:21:37,750 --> 00:21:34,480
beginning of time to investigate the

501
00:21:40,070 --> 00:21:37,760
fossil radiation remains and the seeds

502
00:21:41,990 --> 00:21:40,080
which led to today's structure of the

503
00:21:44,549 --> 00:21:42,000
universe

504
00:21:46,789 --> 00:21:44,559
with the launching of delta 189

505
00:21:49,270 --> 00:21:46,799
the torch is being passed by nasa to the

506
00:21:51,430 --> 00:21:49,280
defense department and mcdonnell douglas

507
00:21:53,909 --> 00:21:51,440
for a commercial transportation system

508
00:21:55,990 --> 00:21:53,919
called delta ii

509
00:21:58,950 --> 00:21:56,000
delta ii will carry on with the same

510
00:22:00,070 --> 00:21:58,960
tradition in the 90s and into the 21st

511
00:22:02,870 --> 00:22:00,080
century

512
00:22:05,350 --> 00:22:02,880
when dreamers creators and builders of

513
00:22:08,149 --> 00:22:05,360
future generations will establish human

514
00:22:11,510 --> 00:22:08,159
colonies in space in man's quest to

515
00:22:14,549 --> 00:22:11,520
explore the final frontier

516
00:22:16,950 --> 00:22:14,559
delta changed the course of history

517
00:22:19,750 --> 00:22:16,960
making it possible for many groups and

518
00:22:22,070 --> 00:22:19,760
nations to go into space

519
00:22:24,470 --> 00:22:22,080
when historians of future generations

520
00:22:27,029 --> 00:22:24,480
discuss delta's place in the annals of

521
00:22:29,830 --> 00:22:27,039
space rocketry they are sure to devote

522
00:22:32,630 --> 00:22:29,840
several pages to this workhorse

523
00:22:35,669 --> 00:22:32,640
and the prominent men and women of delta