The events on this day in history for our heritage companies are noted below.
The earliest event was in 1960, the latest event was in 1987
No milestone events (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1963 – MM Gemini Titan II launch vehicle #1 arrives at CCAFS, LC19
1977 – ALT-16, Free Flight #5, Enterprise Shuttle/Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, Dryden Research Center, Edwards AFB. Crew: Fred Haise, Gordon Fullerton. 19,000 feet, 2 minutes 1 second shuttle flight. Tail cone off, runway landing. Last Approach and Landing Test program flight.
Military and Classified Programs:
1960 – LAUNCH FAILURE: Lockheed Discoverer 16, Thor/Lockheed Agena B, SLC1W, VAFB
1962 – LAUNCH: Starfish Radiation 1, Thor/Lockheed Agena D, SLC2W, VAFB – Evaluated residual radiation after the exo-atmospheric Starfish Prime mission in July, 1962.
1987 – LAUNCH: USA-27, MM Titan 34D, SLC4E, VAFB
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
1966 – LAUNCH: Surveyor SD-4, GD Atlas/Centaur D, LC36B, CCAFS
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
NONE
Commercial Programs:
NONE
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1962 – LAUNCH: MM Titan II, LC15, CCAFS
1978 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Trident C-4, LC25C, CCAFS
Other:
NONE
The first Titan II/Gemini launch vehicle arrived on this date in 1963 at LC-19; the USAF bought off on the vehicle on October 25. The photo today is a composite of all the Titan II/GLV launches (100% successful). GT-1 and GT-2 were unmanned. Photo Credit: NASA. A series about the Gemini program will be written for the MARS STAR by me starting with the first quarter of 2025.
From Wikipedia and NASA public sources: Several modifications were made to the Titan missile to human-rate it for Project Gemini:
- A “Gemini Malfunction Detection System” was installed to inform the crew of the rocket’s status, and improve response in an emergency.
- Redundant systems were installed to reduce the chances of launch failures.
- The inertial guidance system was replaced by a lighter-weight ground-radio guidance system
- The avionics truss in the second stage was modified slightly
- To help guard against the possibility of a guidance malfunction causing the engine nozzles to gimbal hard right or left, an extra backup guidance system was added.
- The second stage propellant tanks were lengthened for longer burn time and unnecessary vernier engines and retrorockets were removed. Because the second stage engine had had issues with combustion instability, it was equipped with baffled injectors.
- The first stage was loaded with 13,000 pounds (5.9 t) more propellant than the Titan ICBM although the storage tank size remained unchanged.
- Modifications were made to the tracking, electrical and hydraulics systems in the interest of improved reliability.
- The propellants were chilled to slightly improve vehicle performance. This allowed for more mass to be accommodated.
- First stage engine thrust was reduced slightly to cut down on vibration and G loads.
- First stage engine burn would go until propellant depletion unlike Titan ICBMs which were designed to cut off when propellant flow/pressure and engine thrust started dropping as the tanks emptied. This was to prevent the possibility of a malfunctioning pressure sensor triggering an abort condition. Also, running until depletion would slightly boost the Titan’s capacity for payload.
