Titan 23G

Thirteen were launched from Space Launch Complex 4W (SLC-4W) at the Vandenberg Air Force Base between 1988 and 2003.

• Name — Titan 23G • Function — Medium-lift launch vehicle • Manufacturer — Martin Marietta / Lockheed Martin • Country Origin — United States • Stages — 2 or 3 • Status — Retired • Family — Titan • Sites — Vandenberg, SLC-4W • First — 5 September 1988 • Last — 18 October 2003 • Launches — 13 • Success — 12 • Fail — 1 • Payloads — Clementine QuickSCAT

Titan 23G rockets consisted of two stages burning liquid propellant. The first stage was powered by one Aerojet LR87 engine with two combustion chambers and nozzles, and the second stage was propelled by an LR91. On some flights, the spacecraft included a kick motor, usually the Star-37XFP-ISS; however, the Star-37S was also used. A contract to refurbish fourteen Titan II missiles to the Titan 23G configuration was awarded to Martin Marietta in January 1986. The first launch occurred on 5 September 1988, carrying a classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. Thirteen were launched, with the fourteenth going to the Evergreen Aviation Museum. The final flight occurred on 17 October 2003, carrying a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite. During refurbishment, the forward structure of the second stage was modified with the addition of a payload attachment fitting to attach the payload to the rocket, and installing a payload fairing to protect it during launch. The engines were refurbished, and the rockets' guidance and control systems were upgraded by Delco Electronics. The former Titan IIIB pad at Vandenberg, SLC-4W, was modified to accommodate the Titan 23G, and was used for all thirteen launches.

All launches of Titan II(23)G rockets took place from Space Launch Complex 4W (SLC-4W) at Vandenberg Air Force Base. • Date/Time (UTC) — Serial number — Third Stage — Payload — Outcome — Remarks • Rocket — Stages • 5 September 1988 09:25 — G-1 — B-98/56 — None — USA-32 (Bernie) FARRAH III — • 6 September 1989 01:48 — G-2 — B-75/99 — None — USA-45 (Bernie) FARRAH IV — Spacecraft failed immediately after launch • 25 April 1992 08:53 — G-3 — B-102 — None — USA-81 (Bernie) FARRAH V • 5 October 1993 17:56 — G-5 — B-65 — Star-37XFP-ISS — Landsat 6 — Star-37 failure, spacecraft failed to achieve orbit • 25 January 1994 16:34 — G-11 — B-89/67 — None — Clementine DSPSE-ISA — • 4 April 1997 16:47 — G-6 — B-106 — Star-37S-ISS — USA-131 (DMSP-5D2 F-14) — • 13 May 1998 15:52:04 — G-12 — B-84/80 — Star-37XFP-ISS — NOAA-15 (NOAA-K) — Included oxidizer (N 2 O 4) tank from Titan II B-72 • 20 June 1999 02:15:00 — G-7 — B-99/75 — None — QuikSCAT — • 12 December 1999 17:36:01 — G-8 — B-94/44 — Star-37XFP-ISS — USA-147 (DMSP-5D3 F-15) — • 21 September 2000 10:22 — G-13 — B-96/39 — Star-37XFP-ISS — NOAA-16 (NOAA-L) — • 24 June 2002 18:23:04 — G-14 — B-71/72 — Star-37XFP-ISS — NOAA-17 (NOAA-M) — Included oxidizer tank from Titan II B-92 • 6 January 2003 14:19 — G-4 — B-105 — None — Coriolis — • 18 October 2003 16:17 — G-9 — B-107 — Star-37XFP-ISS — USA-172 (DMSP-5D3 F-16) — Final Titan II launch

• Illustration — Titan-II B-108 in 1988 became Titan-23G10 program spare • Illustration — Titan-23G10 at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum A fourteenth rocket, G-10, based on Titan II B-108, but incorporating an oxygen tank from B-80, was not launched and is preserved at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. The remaining 42 Titan II missiles were stored at Davis-Monthan AFB with most being broken up for salvage. Four were transferred to museums.

English Wikipedia and records from Wikidata document that the Titan 23G is classified as an American expendable space launch vehicle derived directly from the LGM-25C Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile. The original LGM-25C Titan II missiles were manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company, which subsequently merged into Martin Marietta. In January 1986, Martin Marietta received a contract from the United States military to refurbish fourteen decommissioned Titan II missiles into the Titan 23G launch vehicle configuration. The conversion process required structural and systems modification of the surplus airframes. According to English Wikipedia summaries, Martin Marietta altered the forward structure of the second stage by adding a payload attachment fitting to secure spacecraft to the vehicle, alongside a newly installed payload fairing to protect satellite payloads during ascent through the atmosphere. The rocket engines were completely refurbished, while Delco Electronics upgraded the vehicle guidance and control systems. The remaining forty-two Titan II missiles were sent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, where most were broken up for salvage and four were transferred to museum holdings.