Spaceflight Now Home



The Mission




Rocket: Titan 4B (B-26)
Payload: Classified
Date: October 19, 2005
Period: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. PDT (12-4 p.m. EDT; 1600-2000 GMT)
Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Broadcast: Intelsat Americas 6, Transponder 5, C-Band, 93° West

Mission Status Center

Launch events timeline

Titan 4 rocket info

Vehicle history

Titan 4 archive



Titan 4B launch timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: October 16, 2005

T+0:00 Liftoff
The twin Solid Rocket Motor Upgrade (SRMU) boosters are ignited and the Titan 4B rocket launches from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
T+2:13 Stage 1 Ignition
The Titan 4B rocket's core vehicle stage 1 engine -- the Aerojet LR87-AJ-11 -- is ignited. The liquid-propellant powerplant burns Aerozine-50 fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer.
T+2:28 SRMU Separation
Having consumed all their solid-propellant, the two Alliant Techsystems-built solid rocket boosters are jettisoned to fall into the Pacific Ocean.
T+3:30 Jettison Payload Fairing
The payload fairing buit by Boeing that protected the NRO spacecraft during atmospheric ascent is separated once it is no longer needed.
T+5:26 Staging of Titan Core
The first stage engine shuts down and the second stage Aerojet LR91-AJ-11 engine is ignited. The spent first stage is jettisoned from the rest of the space-bound Titan 4B rocket one second after the second stage is started.
T+9:18 Stage 2 Shutdown
The liquid-fueled second stage engine completes its firing after reaching the desired altitude in space for deployment of the payload.
T+9:30 Spacecraft Separation
The classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite cargo is released into space from the second stage to complete the Titan 4B rocket's launch.

Expedition 20
The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 20 crew is now available from our stores.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Current Shuttle Mission Patch
The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE



Ares Patch
The Ares Project will develop two new rockets to launch astronauts back to the Moon under NASA's Vision for Exploration. The Ares 1 will employ a single space shuttle solid rocket booster to loft the Orion crew capsule. The gigantic Ares 5 will haul the equipment and cargo needed for such lunar voyages. This is the Ares emblem.
 U.S. STORE


One Giant Leap
Hosted by Corbin Bernsen, this award winning documentary marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. space agency and features exclusive interviews with veteran astronauts.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Expedition 21
The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 21 crew is now available from our stores.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial.
 Choose your store:
U.S.

INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE
ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE

ADVERTISE

© 2009 Spaceflight Now Inc.