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Aviation Week & Space Technology, April 22, 2024
![Delta rockets](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2024-04/aw_04_22_digital-192.jpg?itok=mUbjXp3L)
What began as a modified Thor ballistic missile ended up as one of the most productive and long-lived space launch vehicles in history. Between its first launch on May 13, 1960, and its last on June 9, the Delta rocket grew from the 90-ft.-tall, 112,000-lb. Thor-Delta to the 235-ft.-tall, 1.6 million-lb. Delta IV Heavy, while lift thrust increased from 150,000 lb. to 2.1 million lb. In total, Delta rockets flew 389 times.