Built by The Boeing Company, the first Delta Rocket was launched in 1960. The Delta series became NASA's workhorse for commercial, exploratory, and military satellite delivery and the most dependable and most frequently used commercial launch vehicle. Satellites launched by Delta Rockets supported everyday life for Californians through television, phones, detailed weather forecasts, and global positioning. Orange County served as headquarters for the Delta engineers and designers who led California's mission to space. The Delta program, like the overall aerospace industry, brought together people of different cultures and ethnicities in a hugely successful effort that contributed to the development of the Southern California economy. Delta Rockets launched more than 300 spacecraft and satellites, including Mars Rover and Deep Impact.
