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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

TITAN IV

	Air Force ACAT ID Program 40 launch vehicles Total program cost (TY$) $18,364M Average unit cost (TY$) $368M Initial Launch Capability 3QFY89 Titan IVB ILC 2QFY97 Prime Contractor Lockheed Martin

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

Titan IV, which evolved from earlier members of the Titan family, provides the heavy-lift space-launch capability to place the nation's highest priority DoD space systems and other missions into a variety of orbits. Titan IV is a multi-stage launch vehicle that consists of a two-stage core and a pair of large, solid rocket motors (SRM) attached. An upper stage placed above the main booster core is used for some missions to provide additional payload-to-orbit capability. Titan IV's upper stages can be either of two kinds: the Inertial Upper Stage or the Centaur.

The original Titan IV design, now known as Titan IVA, employs SRMs manufactured by United Technologies. Titan IVA can place up to 31,100 pounds into an approximately 100 mile high polar, low Earth orbit (LEO). With the Centaur upper stage, Titan IVA can lift 10,000 pounds into a 22,000 mile high geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). An improved Titan IV design, designated Titan IVB, made its maiden flight in February 1997. Improvements to the Titan IVB vehicle include the solid rocket motor upgrade (SRMU) manufactured by Alliant Techsystems, new guidance and avionics, standardized payload interfaces, and a new flight-termination system. Titan IVB improved lift capacity to LEO is 38,800 pounds. Titan IVB with Centaur can place 11,500 pounds into GEO.

The Air Force operates Titan IV launch complexes at Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), FL, and Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), CA. As the nation's heavy-lift space-launch system, Titan IV is an example of technological innovation being used to secure our nation's ensured access to space. Titan delivers payloads to precise orbits, achieving full-dimensional protection through the high ground of space.

Titan IV development was authorized by National Security Decision Directive 164 to ensure heavy-lift access to space comparable to space shuttle payload capacity. Titan IV development began with a contract award to Martin Marietta (now Lockheed-Martin) in February 1985. Titan IV is an outgrowth of the Titan family of ICBMs and the Titan 34D medium-payload launch vehicle. Initial Launch Capability (ILC) was achieved with the first launch in June 1989. The Titan IVB/SRMU program was initiated in 1987 to improve payload performance and system reliability. Titan IVB ILC was achieved with the first Titan IVB launch in February 1997. There were 18 Titan IV launches conducted prior to FY97, with 17 of the flights being successful. Two more were launched successfully in FY97.

AFOTEC conducted an OA from 1993 to 1995. While Titan IV's performance met user needs, the assessment was too brief for complete demonstration of compliance with all operational requirements.

Titan IV experienced its only launch failure in 1993. With 19 successes in 20 attempts, the current observed launch and inflight reliability is 95 percent. This compares favorably to the Operational Requirements Document (ORD) requirement of 96 percent. When flight operations resumed after the single failure in 1993, overall reliability and launch throughput rates improved. Three launches were conducted from VAFB from December 6, 1995-December 20, 1996, exceeding the ORD requirement rate of two launches per year. Eight CCAS launches were made from February 7, 1994 through April 24, 1996, for a demonstrated rate of 3.6 launches per year, falling just short of the ORD requirement of 4 launches per year.

Although Titan IVB/SRMU launched successfully in February 1997, the Air Force plans modifications and further developmental testing to improve the system. At least one full-scale SRMU test firing will be conducted in the near future. DOT&E continues to monitor vehicle launch and inflight reliability, annual launch throughput rates, and the progress of Titan IVB. However, there are no dedicated test periods planned for the remainder of the Titan IV program.

Point estimates of the launch throughput rate at CCAS and vehicle launch and inflight reliability still fall slightly below ORD thresholds. However, there are grounds for cautious optimism. First, the gaps are small and have been closing in recent years. Second, sample sizes are still fairly small and the performance gaps could easily be explained by random error. Finally, questions of reliability and throughput rates are complex and may be affected by a host of factors not captured in simple calculations of predefined metrics. For example, launch rates are obviously affected by the demand for missions to orbit. If demand is low, the launch rate will also be low. Given the expense of Titan IV operations, the best available approach to a better understanding of these and other complex issues is to continue to monitor and analyze real-world Titan IV operations.

Titan IV operations offer many potential lessons for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program under development. This is particularly true of suitability issues such as prelaunch, range support, and the other associated operations.