Titan IIIA

Titan IIIA

Launch of the first Titan IIIA
Function	Prototype expendable launch system
Manufacturer	Martin Marietta
Country of origin	USA
Size
Height	42 metres (138 ft)
Diameter	3.05 metres (10.0 ft)
Mass	161,730 kilograms (356,550 lb)
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to LEO	3,100 kilograms (6,800 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Titan
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	LC-20, Cape Canaveral
Total launches	4
Successes	3
Failures	1
First flight	1 September 1964
Last flight	6 May 1965
First stage
Engines	2 LR87-11
Thrust	2,340 kilonewtons (530,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	302 sec
Burn time	147 seconds
Fuel	A-50/N2O4
Second stage
Engines	1 LR91-11
Thrust	454 kilonewtons (102,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	316 sec
Burn time	205 seconds
Fuel	A-50/N2O4
Third stage - Transtage
Engines	2 AJ10-138
Thrust	71 kilonewtons (16,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	311 sec
Burn time	440 seconds
Fuel	A-50/N2O4

The Titan IIIA or Titan 3A was an American expendable launch system, launched four times in 1964 and 1965, to test the Transtage upper stage which was intended for use on the larger Titan IIIC. The Transtage was mounted atop two core stages derived from the Titan II. The Titan IIIA was also used as the core of the Titan IIIC.

The Titan IIIA made its maiden flight on 1 September 1964, but the Transtage failed to pressurise, resulting in a premature cutoff, and failure to reach orbit. A second test on 10 December was successful. Two further launches occurred in 1965 with Lincoln Experimental Satellites, before the Titan IIIA was retired.

Launch history

Main article: List of Titan launches

Date/Time (GMT)	S/N	Payload	Outcome	Remarks
1 September 1964 15:00:06	3A-2	N/A	Failure	Transtage test flight Transtage failed to pressurise
10 December 1964 16:52:33	3A-1	N/A	Successful	Transtage test flight
11 February 1965 15:19:05	3A-3	LES-1	Successful
6 May 1965 15:00:03	3A-4	LES-2/LCS-1	Successful

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons