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Titan IVB

The Titan IVB is a heavy-lift space launch vehicle used to carry government payloads such as Defense Support Program, Milstar and National Reconnaissance Office satellites into space. It is launched from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, CA.

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History

The Titan family was established in October 1955 when the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin (the former Martin Company) a contract to build a heavy-duty space system. It became known as the Titan I, the nation's first two-stage, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and first underground silo-based ICBM. Titan I provided many structural and propulsion techniques that were later incorporated into the Titan II. Years later, the Titan IVB evolved from the Titan III family and is similar to the Titan 34D. It was originally developed as a backup for the space shuttle in the 1980s, but has become a mainstay for heavy payloads. The last Titan IVA was launched in August 1998. The Titan IVB is an upgraded rocket having a new guidance system, flight termination system, ground checkout system, solid rocket motor upgrade and a 25 percent increase in thrust capability. The first Titan IVB flew on Feb. 23, 1997.

Description

The Titan IVB is the most recent and largest unmanned space booster used by the Air Force. It provides assured capability for launch of space shuttle-class payloads. The vehicle is flexible because it can be launched with no upper stage, or one of two optional upper stages for greater and varied carrying ability.

The Titan IVB consists of a liquid-fueled core and two large solid rocket boosters for increased performance. During a launch the strap-on rocket boosters are fired first. When the solid propellant is almost depleted, about two minutes into flight, the first stage is fired and the solid motors are separated from the vehicle. The second and upper stages are fired as the previous stage is depleted of fuel and separated.

The Titan IVB's core consists of an LR87 liquid-propellant rocket that features structurally independent tanks for its fuel (Aerozine 50) and oxidizer (Nitrogen Tetroxide). This minimizes the hazard of the two mixing if a leak should develop in either tank. Additionally the engines' propellant can be stored in a launch-ready state for extended periods. The use of propellants stored at normal temperature and pressure eliminates delays and gives the Titan IVB the capability to meet critical launch windows. The second stage consists of an LR91 liquid propellant rocket engine attached to an airframe, like stage 1.