# D-293

> Delta IV Medium+(4,2) space launch vehicle

**Wikidata**: [Q23933918](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23933918)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/d-293

## Summary
D-293 is the Delta IV Medium+(4,2) configuration of the Delta IV space launch vehicle, a member of the Delta rocket family. It lifted off on 20 November 2002 from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 37B carrying the Eutelsat 33B communications satellite.

## Key Facts
- Launch date: 20 November 2002
- Launch site: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 37B
- Payload carried: Eutelsat 33B (communications satellite)
- Vehicle class: Delta IV Medium+(4,2) — a two-stage, medium-lift variant with two strap-on solid rocket motors
- Family: Delta IV launch vehicle line

## FAQs
### Q: What does the “(4,2)” in Delta IV Medium+(4,2) mean?
A: The “4” indicates a 4-m-diameter payload fairing, and the “2” signifies two GEM-60 solid rocket boosters attached to the first stage.

### Q: When did the Delta IV Medium+(4,2) first fly?
A: The only documented flight of D-293 occurred on 20 November 2002.

### Q: Where was D-293 launched?
A: It launched from Space Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

### Q: What payload did D-293 carry?
A: It carried Eutelsat 33B, a geostationary communications satellite.

## Why It Matters
The 20 November 2002 mission marked one of the earliest operational flights of the Delta IV Medium+(4,2) configuration, demonstrating the vehicle’s ability to lift commercial payloads into geostationary transfer orbit. By successfully orbiting Eutelsat 33B, the flight validated the two-booster medium-lift variant for future government and commercial customers. The mission also helped prove the Delta IV’s new cryogenic first-stage and upgraded avionics suite, reinforcing the rocket family’s role in U.S. assured access to space during a period when the Atlas and Delta lines were being modernized. For satellite operators, the flight showed that the Delta IV could deliver spacecraft like Eutelsat 33B to precise orbital slots, supporting global communications coverage.

## Notable For
- Earliest documented Delta IV Medium+(4,2) launch (20 Nov 2002)
- Only flight listed in the provided data set for this configuration
- Demonstrated the 4-m fairing plus twin-booster architecture on an operational mission
- Successfully placed Eutelsat 33B into geostationary transfer orbit

## Body
### Configuration
Delta IV Medium+(4,2) is a two-stage launch vehicle. The first stage is powered by a single RS-68 cryogenic engine; two GEM-60 solid-fuel strap-ons augment thrust at liftoff. A 4-m-diameter composite payload fairing tops the stack, enclosing the customer spacecraft.

### Mission Profile
On 20 November 2002 the vehicle lifted off from SLC-37B at Cape Canaveral. After booster separation and first-stage flight, the second stage’s RL10B-2 engine performed one or more burns to inject Eutelsat 33B into a geostationary transfer orbit.

### Payload
Eutelsat 33B (formerly Eurobird 3) is a communications satellite operated by Eutelsat. Positioned at 33° East, the spacecraft provides television and data services across Europe and the Middle East.

## References

1. [Source](http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/delta-4.htm)