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I'll preface this by saying I don't know much about space launches... > Space Shuttle had 24 consecutive launches before a failure The Space Shuttle system wa
by vosper 6y ago
I'll preface this by saying I don't know much about space launches...
> Space Shuttle had 24 consecutive launches before a failure
The Space Shuttle system was not "a rocket", so possibly GP wasn't counting it?
> The standard Delta IV has also had 24 consecutive successes.
Were those consecutive successes from the first launch without a dummy payload?
- conistonwater 6y agoLaunches with payload numbers 5 through 40: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_IV#Delta_IV_launches_in_chronological_order https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_IV#Delta_IV_launches_in_... I wonder if the trick is something like "launches in the same configuration" because that would really penalize older rockets that used to undergo upgrades once in a while.
- Rebelgecko 6y agoI don't know if there's an official definition, but I'd consider the Delta IV and Delta IV Heavy to be separate launch vehicles in the same family, akin to the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. Whereas with the single-stick Delta IV Medium, the variations like 4m vs 5m fairings are just different configurations.
- Rebelgecko 6y ago>The Space Shuttle system was not "a rocket", so possibly GP wasn't counting it? I don't see why the space shuttle wouldn't be considered a rocket? It had 3 rocket engines coming out the back of it. >Were those consecutive successes from the first launch without a dummy payload? Yes, although I goofed the math and it was actually 29. If we're excluding launches with dummy payloads, you could actually add in the Delta IV Heavy, which brings the total up to 39.
- vosper 6y ago> I don't see why the space shuttle wouldn't be considered a rocket? It had 3 rocket engines coming out the back of it. Duh, you're right, of course - I somehow was thinking just of the boosters.