 Titan 23G launchesNOAA-15, 13 May 1998 | |
| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Martin Marietta /Lockheed Martin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 31.4 m (103 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.05 m (10.0 ft) |
| Mass | 117,020 kg (257,980 lb) |
| Stages | 2 or 3 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload toLEO | |
| Mass | 3,600 kg (7,900 lb) |
| Payload toPolarLEO | |
| Mass | 2,177 kg (4,799 lb) |
| Payload toHCO | |
| Mass | 227 kg (500 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Titan |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | Vandenberg,SLC-4W |
| Total launches | 13 |
| Success(es) | 12 |
| Failure | 1 |
| First flight | 5 September 1988 |
| Last flight | 18 October 2003 |
| Carries passengers or cargo | Clementine QuickSCAT |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | LR-87 (one engine with two combustion chambers) |
| Maximum thrust | 1,900 kN (430,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 258 s (2.53 km/s) |
| Burn time | 156 seconds |
| Propellant | N2O4 /Aerozine 50 |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1LR-91 |
| Maximum thrust | 445 kN (100,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 316 s (3.10 km/s) |
| Burn time | 180 seconds |
| Propellant | N2O4 /Aerozine 50 |
| Third stage (Optional) –Star-37XFP-ISS | |
| Empty mass | 71.7 kg (158 lb) |
| Gross mass | 955.3 kg (2,106 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 883.6 kg (1,948 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 38.03 kN (8,550 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 290 s (2.8 km/s) |
| Burn time | 67 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB |
| Third stage (Optional) –Star-37S | |
| Empty mass | 53.4 kg (118 lb) |
| Gross mass | 711.4 kg (1,568 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 658 kg (1,451 lb) |
| Specific impulse | 287 s (2.81 km/s) |
TheTitan 23G,Titan II(23)G,Titan 2(23)G orTitan II SLV was an Americanmedium-lift launch vehicle derived from theLGM-25C Titan IIintercontinental ballistic missile. Retired Titan II missiles were converted byMartin Marietta, into which theGlenn L. Martin Company, which built the original Titan II, had merged. It was used to carry payloads for theUnited States Air Force (USAF),NASA andNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Thirteen were launched fromSpace Launch Complex 4W (SLC-4W) at theVandenberg Air Force Base between 1988 and 2003.[1]
Titan 23G rockets consisted of two stages burningliquid propellant. The first stage was powered by oneAerojetLR87 engine with two combustion chambers and nozzles, and the second stage was propelled by anLR91. On some flights, the spacecraft included a kick motor, usually theStar-37XFP-ISS; however, the Star-37S was also used.[1]
A contract to refurbish fourteen Titan II missiles to the Titan 23G configuration was awarded to Martin Marietta in January 1986. The first launch occurred on 5 September 1988, carrying a classified payload for the U.S.National Reconnaissance Office. Thirteen were launched, with the fourteenth going to theEvergreen Aviation Museum.[2] The final flight occurred on 17 October 2003, carrying aDefense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite.[3]
During refurbishment, the forward structure of the second stage was modified with the addition of a payload attachment fitting to attach the payload to the rocket, and installing apayload fairing to protect it during launch. The engines were refurbished, and the rockets' guidance and control systems were upgraded byDelco Electronics.
The formerTitan IIIB pad at Vandenberg, SLC-4W, was modified to accommodate the Titan 23G, and was used for all thirteen launches.
All launches of Titan II(23)G rockets took place fromSpace Launch Complex 4W (SLC-4W) atVandenberg Air Force Base.
| Date/Time (UTC) | Serial number | Third Stage | Payload | Outcome | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket | Stages | |||||
| 5 September 1988 09:25 | G-1 | B-98/56 | None | USA-32 (Bernie) FARRAH III | Success |  |
| 6 September 1989 01:48 | G-2 | B-75/99 | None | USA-45 (Bernie) FARRAH IV | Success | Spacecraft failed immediately after launch |
| 25 April 1992 08:53 | G-3 | B-102 | None | USA-81 (Bernie) FARRAH V | Success | |
| 5 October 1993 17:56 | G-5 | B-65 | Star-37XFP-ISS[4] | Landsat 6 | Failure |  Star-37 failure, spacecraft failed to achieve orbit[5] |
| 25 January 1994 16:34 | G-11 | B-89/67 | None | Clementine DSPSE-ISA[6] | Success |  |
| 4 April 1997 16:47 | G-6 | B-106 | Star-37S-ISS[7] | USA-131 (DMSP-5D2 F-14) | Success |  |
| 13 May 1998 15:52:04 | G-12 | B-84/80 | Star-37XFP-ISS[4] | NOAA-15 (NOAA-K) | Success | Included oxidizer (N2O4) tank from Titan II B-72 |
| 20 June 1999 02:15:00 | G-7 | B-99/75 | None | QuikSCAT | Success |  |
| 12 December 1999 17:36:01 | G-8 | B-94/44 | Star-37XFP-ISS[4] | USA-147 (DMSP-5D3 F-15) | Success |  |
| 21 September 2000 10:22 | G-13 | B-96/39 | Star-37XFP-ISS[4] | NOAA-16 (NOAA-L) | Success |  |
| 24 June 2002 18:23:04 | G-14 | B-71/72 | Star-37XFP-ISS[4] | NOAA-17 (NOAA-M) | Success |  Included oxidizer (N2O4) tank from Titan II B-92 |
| 6 January 2003 14:19 | G-4 | B-105 | None | Coriolis | Success |  |
| 18 October 2003 16:17 | G-9 | B-107 | Star-37XFP-ISS[4] | USA-172 (DMSP-5D3 F-16) | Success |  Final Titan II launch |
A fourteenth rocket, G-10, based on Titan II B-108, but incorporating an oxygen tank from B-80, was not launched and is preserved at theEvergreen Aviation & Space Museum inMcMinnville, Oregon.
The remaining 42 Titan II missiles were stored atDavis-Monthan AFB with most being broken up for salvage. Four were transferred to museums.
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