Maiden flight of Boeing's Delta III, carrying the Hughes-built Galaxy 10 communications satellite. A guidance program adapted from the Delta II caused a solid-motor gimbal oscillation that drained hydraulic fluid about 71 seconds in; range safety destroyed the rocket 75 seconds into flight, at roughly 16 km altitude, destroying the satellite.
- Outcome
- Failure
- Orbit
- Direct-GEO
- Geostationary orbit
- Payload to orbit
- Did not reach orbit
- Flight
- 1st
- of 3 Delta III 8930 flights
- Date and time
- 27 August 1998, 01:17 UTC
- Rocket
- Delta III 8930
- Builder
- Boeing
- Launch site
- Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
- Payload
- Communications
- Launches in 1998
- 52nd of 82