Titan IV

From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.

Titan IVB
Launch of a Titan IVB launch vehicle. (USAF)
Stages		2 or 3
0 - Solid Boosters	Engines	Solid Fuel
Thrust		1,700,000 lbf (7.56 MN) X 2 = 3,400,000 lbf (15.12 MN)
Burn time		120 seconds
Fuels		Solid Fuel
1 - 1st Stage	Engines	LR87 X 2
Thrust		430,000 lbf (1,913 kN)
Burn time		164 seconds
Fuels		A-50 hydrazine/N204
2 - 2nd Stage	Engine	LR91 X 1
Thrust		100,000 lbf (445 kN)
Burn time		223 seconds
Fuels		A-50 hydrazine/N204
3 - 3rd Centaur Stage	Engine	RL-10 X 2
Thrust		30,000 lbf (150 kN)
Burn time		625 seconds
Fuels		LOX/Liquid Hydrogen
Launch Vehicle		1st Launch June, 1989
Payload LEO 28-deg		47,800 lb (21,682 kg)
Payload LEO Polar orbit		38,800 lb (17,599 kg)
Payload Geo-sync orbit		12,700 lb (5,761 kg)
Payload Escape Velocity		12,470 lb (5,655 kg)

Mission

The Titan IV family (including the IVA and IVB) of space boosters are used by the US Air Force. They are launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

Features

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 in that 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. It is launched on the solids; the liquid core ignites about 2 minutes into flight.

The Titan IVB 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 engine propellant can be stored in a launch-ready state for extended periods. The second stage consists of an LR91 liquid propellant rocket engine attached to an airframe, like stage 1. For increased performance Titan IVB also uses two solid propellant strap-on boosters.

Background

The Titan rocket family was established in October 1955 when the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin (the former Glenn L. Martin Company) a contract to build an intercontinental ballistic missile (SM-68). It became known as the Titan I, the nation's first two-stage ICBM and replaced the Atlas ICBM as the second underground vertically stored, silo-based ICBM. Both stages of the Titan I used liquid oxygen and alcohol as propellants. A subsequent version of the Titan family, the Titan II, was similar to the Titan I, but was much more powerful. Designated as LGM-25C, the Titan II was the largest missile at the time, to be developed by the USAF. The Titan II had newly developed engines which used Aerozine 50 and Nitrogen Tetroxide as fuel and oxidizer.

Titan III development began in 1961 with the Titan IIIA. Years later, the Titan IVB evolved from the Titan III family and is similar to the Titan 34D. The last Titan IVA was launched in August 1998. The first Titan IVB flew on Feb. 23, 1997. 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.

General Characteristics

• Primary Function: Space booster
• Builder: Lockheed-Martin Astronautics
• Power Plant:
  • Stage 0 currently consists of two solid-rocket motors.
  • Stage 1 uses an LR87 liquid-propellant rocket engine.
  • Stage 2 uses the LR91 liquid-propellant engine.
  • Optional upper stages include the Centaur and inertial upper stage.
• Guidance System: A ring laser gyro guidance system manufactured by Honeywell.
• Thrust: Solid rocket motors provide 1.7 million pounds force (7.56 MN) per motor at liftoff.
  • First stage provides an average of 548,000 pounds force (2.44 MN)
  • second stage provides an average of 105,000 pounds force (467 kN).
  • Optional Centaur upper stage provides 33,100 pounds force (147 kN) and the inertial upper stage provides up to 41,500 pounds force (185 kN).
• Length: Up to 204 feet (62.17 m)
• Lift Capability:
  • Can carry up to 47,800 pounds (21,682 kg) into a low-earth orbit
  • up to 12,700 pounds (5,761 kg) into a geosynchronous orbit when launched from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla.;
  • and up to 38,800 pounds (17,599 kg) into a low-earth polar orbit when launched from Vandenberg AFB.
  • Using an inertial upper stage, the Titan IVB can transport up to 5,250 pounds (2,381 kg) into geosynchronous orbit.
• Maximum Takeoff Weight: Approximately 2.2 million pounds (997,913 kg)
• Cost: Approximately $250-350 million, depending on launch configuration.
• Date deployed: June 1989
• Launch sites: Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

Reference

• USAF Titan IVB Fact Sheet

nl:Titan IV