Potential Delta II replacement Options

[Jim from NSF.com]

http://www.orbital.com/AdvancedSpace/COTS/

[Greg Hullender]

So is the issue that the Falcon 9 is just too big? I didn't see an estimated price for the Taurus. What does a Delta launch cost? Is there any issue besides cost and lift capacity?

--Greg

[simonbp]

So is the issue that the Falcon 9 is just too big? I didn't see an estimated price for the Taurus. What does a Delta launch cost? Is there any issue besides cost and lift capacity?

Well, we'll see how the Falcon 9 price changes between now and when it actually flies. Even still, it'll still probably end up cheaper than an EELV, though will less support than ULA would offer. In my mind, that makes it suitable for Discovery-class missions, though not necessarily ones with a larger budget.

Delta II was $50 million when Pathfinder launched, but it has gone up a lot since then...

Simon