Titan IVB Rocket Boosters

Titan IVB the most recent and largest unmanned space booster used by the Air Force. Titan IVB It provides assured capability for launch of space shuttle-class payloads. The vehicle is flexible because it can be launched with no upper stage, or one of two optional upper stages for greater and varied carrying ability. Titan IVB family was established in October 1955 when the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin (the former Martin Company) a contract to build a heavy-duty space system. It became known as the Titan I, the nation's first two-stage, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and first underground silo-based ICBM. Titan I provided many structural and propulsion techniques that were later incorporated into the Titan II. The Titan IVB consists of a liquid-fueled core and two large solid rocket boosters for increased performance. During a launch the strap-on rocket boosters are fired first. When the solid propellant is almost depleted, about two minutes into flight, the first stage is fired and the solid motors are separated from the vehicle. The second and upper stages are fired as the previous stage is depleted of fuel and separated. The Titan IVB's core consists of an LR87 liquid-propellant rocket that features structurally independent tanks for its fuel and oxidizer. This minimizes the hazard of the two mixing if a leak should develop in either tank. Additionally the engines' propellant can be stored in a launch-ready state for extended periods. The use of propellants stored at normal temperature and pressure eliminates delays and gives the Titan IVB the capability to meet critical launch windows. The second stage consists of an LR91 liquid propellant rocket engine attached to an airframe.