(U) Titan IVB

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The Titan IVB is one in a family of launch vehicles which consists of three variants, the Titan II Space Launch Vehicle (SLV), Titan III, and Titan IV.  The Titan IVB has two solid strap-on boosters for additional thrust.  The Titan IV's are launched from SLC-40 or -41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, and from SLC-4E at Vandenberg AFB, CA.  The typical launch processing time for the Titan IV is 211-374 days. 

Description: (U)
(U) The Titan IV is the primary U.S. heavy lift vehicle.  It has three configurations (no upper stage, Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) and Centaur upper stage) and supports DoD's Defense Support Program (DSP) warning spacecraft and Milstar communications spacecraft launches to geostationary earth orbit (GEO) as well as some NASA interplanetary exploration and classified spacecraft launches. 

(U) The Air Force Titan IV heavy space lift system currently launches large class DoD payloads into LEO and GEO with the aid of transfer orbit stages (Inertial Upper Stage or Centaur). Upgrades to the current Titan IVB system inlcude: 

(U)  Processing improvements to reduce vehicle processing cost and time; increase operability and schedule dependability; and enhance environmental compliance - CCAFS Payload Fairing (PLF) Automated Cleaning; VAFB PLF Automated Cleaning; Centaur Processing Facility; Solid Motor Assembly & Readiness Facility; Lightning Mitigation.

(U)  Liquid Rocket Engine (LRE) improvements to increase performance, reliability, operability, and safety - LRE Margin Validation; LRE Oxygen Valve Lip Seal Life Extension; LRE Gas Generator Margin Improvement; LRE Stage I Nozzle Expansion; LRE Stage II Nozzle Ablative Change; LRE Injector Laser Diagnostics.

(U)  Core Vehicle Improvements to increase mission reliability and performance, and ensure safety compliance - Flight Environment Instrumentation; Flight Termination System (FTS) Upgrade; Advanced Avionics; Visco Elastic Material; Hydraulic Actuator Upgrade; Stage 2 Ox Tank Fly Away Pressurization System.

(U)  Aerospace Ground Equipment improvement to increase reliability, operability, and schedule dependability - Programmable Aerospace Ground Equipment (PAGE).

(U)  Centaur improvements to increase mission reliability, operability, and safety compliance: Centaur Lip Seals and Welded Tubing; Range Compliant Centaur Flight Termination System; Centaur Remote Control Unit.

(U)  Payload Fairing improvements to increase operability, schedule dependability, mission reliability, and safety - PLF Quick Lock Field Joints; PLF Thermal Protection Redesign.

(U)  Solid Rocket Motor Improvements to increase operability and performance and maximize service life - SRM Forward Closure Life Extension; Solid Rocket Motor Upgrade (SRMU).  The 2 SRMUs on the Titan IVB are three segment solid propellant rocket motors. 

User Impact: (U)
(U)  Provides heavy-lift capability to launch surveillance, tracking, and communications satellites which support DoD and national requirements.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational.
	(U) IOC: 02/1997 (2QFY1997).
	(U) Termination: 01/2004 (2QFY2004).
		(U)  The termination date for Titan IVB is the date of the last launch of a Titan IV which is planned for 2004.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) Arnold Engineer Dev Cntr (AEDC), DSP, Eastern Range, IUS, Milstar I, Milstar II, Western Range

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Launch, Launch Vehicles, Spacelift

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) Major DoD Space Programs, National Security Space Road Map, SPACE FORCES SUPPORT.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
04 November 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)