The Boeing-made booster is set for yet another liftoff Tuesday from Cape Canaveral carrying four more small satellites for the Globalstar constellation. If that launch is a success, it will set a new high watermark in U.S. launch history--17 satellites orbited in the shortest period of time (80 days) for any launcher in history.

While the series of Athena, Delta III and Titan launch failures marooned the Delta III, Titan IV, Athena, and Atlas III, the Delta II has continued to fly from both launch sites on the two U.S. coastal facilities. Three Delta II launches, each with four Globalstar satellites on board, roared away on June 10, July 10, and July 24.

Globalstar hopes to end next week with 36 satellites on orbital station. Because of the Delta II, that prospect is high, given the launch vehicles safety record. No Delta II has failed since January 1997.

As if the Globalstar project wasn't enough, Delta II configurations have also been carrying NASA, Air Force, and commercial payloads routinely throughout the year. In fact, Boeing managed to launch a science payload for NASA--the FUSE satelliteon July 24, the same day as one of the Globalstar launches, showing that Boeing and the Air Force can count down and launch identical rockets from each launch site (Canaveral and Vandenberg) at the same time.

The Delta II vehicle was established by an Air Force Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) I contract issued in January 1987 to supply military satellite launches beginning in 1989. The vehicle has since become a standard carrier for NASA and single commercial communications satellites.

Boeing has reported it can build 12 to 18 of the launch vehicles per year to supply customers needs. While originally to be phased out by the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program starting in the middle of the next decade, company officials have indicated that the Delta II may continue commercial launches flying well into the next decade.