The June 21 launch of a Boeing Delta II rocket marked the 250th launch of an Aerojet-boosted Delta II.

Wednesday's launch vehicle successfully carried into orbit an experimental payload for a joint U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), US Air Force and US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) team.

The Delta II lifted off at 6:15 pm EDT from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, and successfully deployed the Micro-Satellite Technology Experiment (MiTEx) some 30 minutes later, a system designed to identify, integrate, test and evaluate small satellite technologies.

"Today's mission was a great team effort, involving talented people from DARPA, the Air Force, the launch range, The Aerospace Corporation and our suppliers, as well as the professionals on the Delta program," said Dan Collins, vice president of Boeing Launch Systems. "The team faced many challenges, but maintained its focus on quality and teamwork throughout the mission."

Aerojet provided the second stage AJ10-118K engine, to complement the Delta II rocket's Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-27A main engine, nine Alliant Techsystems GEM 40 solid rocket motors, and the Naval Research Laboratory upper stage used to propel MiTEx into geosynchronous orbit.

The next Delta mission will be the first West Coast flight of a Boeing Delta IV launch vehicle, carrying a payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. After a two-year delay, it is scheduled for launch June 27.

FMI: www.aerojet.com, boeing.com, www.darpa.mil