Location
Cocoa Beach, FL
Start Date
5-4-1965 8:00 AM
Description
This paper presents the design and the field test program associated with the development of the propulsion module for the third stage of the Titan III Standard Space Launch Vehicle. The primary objective of this vehicle development is to provide a launch vehicle with the capability of performing a wide variety of space missions. The vehicle configuration(s) evolved to satisfy this objective consists of a modified Titan II equipped with a third stage designated as Configuration "A" or Core, and the addition of two segmented solid propellant rocket motors, one on either side of the Core designated as Configuration "C".
The third stage of this vehicle is called the transtage. This stage is composed of two modules: the control module, which contains the guidance, flight controls, and attitude control subsystems} and the propulsion module which is identified as stage III.
Stage III consists of a pressure-fed, re-startable, space propulsion system which utilizes storable hyper golic pr ope Hants. Pro pe Hants are contained in two titanium tanks which are secured to the vehicle airframe in a parallel arrangement. The engine assembly consists of dual thrust units which are individually gimbaled to provide vehicle attitude control during stage operation. Each thrust unit consists of an ablative cooled combustion chamber with a radiation cooled nozzle exit section. The pressurant is stored gaseous helium and propellant tank pressure is maintained by use of pressure switch controlled solenoid valves. The stage is designed to have a useful life in space of at least 6.5 hours.
A review of the stage III design requirements, the mechanization used to fulfill these requirements, and the development test program used to verify the mechanization is presented. Stage III subsystem and design confirmation testing includes mockup and full scale (battleship) tests of the pressurization subsystem, model and full scale (battleship) test of the propellant subsystem, and captive tests using battleship tankage of the complete propulsion system. Stage design confirmation tests include a series of altitude simulation firings at the Arnold Engineering Development Center Rocket Test Facility and System Compatibility Firings at the Martin Denver Static Test Facility. The flight test program at the Eastern Test Range consists of several "A" configuration launches from a reworked Titan I launch pad followed by "C" configuration launches from the Titan III Integrated Transfer and Launch (ITL) facility. In addition, the prelaunch and countdown preparations and utilization of checkout and flight test results in system design improvements are presented.
Development of the Titan Stage III
Cocoa Beach, FL
This paper presents the design and the field test program associated with the development of the propulsion module for the third stage of the Titan III Standard Space Launch Vehicle. The primary objective of this vehicle development is to provide a launch vehicle with the capability of performing a wide variety of space missions. The vehicle configuration(s) evolved to satisfy this objective consists of a modified Titan II equipped with a third stage designated as Configuration "A" or Core, and the addition of two segmented solid propellant rocket motors, one on either side of the Core designated as Configuration "C".
The third stage of this vehicle is called the transtage. This stage is composed of two modules: the control module, which contains the guidance, flight controls, and attitude control subsystems} and the propulsion module which is identified as stage III.
Stage III consists of a pressure-fed, re-startable, space propulsion system which utilizes storable hyper golic pr ope Hants. Pro pe Hants are contained in two titanium tanks which are secured to the vehicle airframe in a parallel arrangement. The engine assembly consists of dual thrust units which are individually gimbaled to provide vehicle attitude control during stage operation. Each thrust unit consists of an ablative cooled combustion chamber with a radiation cooled nozzle exit section. The pressurant is stored gaseous helium and propellant tank pressure is maintained by use of pressure switch controlled solenoid valves. The stage is designed to have a useful life in space of at least 6.5 hours.
A review of the stage III design requirements, the mechanization used to fulfill these requirements, and the development test program used to verify the mechanization is presented. Stage III subsystem and design confirmation testing includes mockup and full scale (battleship) tests of the pressurization subsystem, model and full scale (battleship) test of the propellant subsystem, and captive tests using battleship tankage of the complete propulsion system. Stage design confirmation tests include a series of altitude simulation firings at the Arnold Engineering Development Center Rocket Test Facility and System Compatibility Firings at the Martin Denver Static Test Facility. The flight test program at the Eastern Test Range consists of several "A" configuration launches from a reworked Titan I launch pad followed by "C" configuration launches from the Titan III Integrated Transfer and Launch (ITL) facility. In addition, the prelaunch and countdown preparations and utilization of checkout and flight test results in system design improvements are presented.
