United Launch Alliance (ULA) is restructuring the Delta 2 program to make it more cost effective in a challenging market, the company said Jan. 29.
The Delta 2 provides medium-class launch services, and the near-term future for the market is characterized by lower launch rates starting in 2009, as two major U.S. government customers prepared to reduce their use of the vehicle. The U.S. Air Force's GPS program flies its final mission on Delta 2 at the end of 2008, and NASA science missions have been reduced.
The ULA will continue to offer the Delta 2 to government customers, and Boeing Co. will offer the Delta 2 commercially, with 16 launches planned through 2010.
As part of the new plan, the ULA appointed Rick Navarro Delta 2 program director. He previously served as Delta director of launch operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
"Contrary to some public reports, ULA is not backing away from Delta 2 because of the reduced market," Michael Gass, the company's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We are working to operate more efficiently at lower launch rates so that when the current market rebounds we will remain positioned to offer high reliability and competitively priced launch products to support the market needs."

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