April 28, 1986

April 28, 1986

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Editorial

U. S. Launcher Crisis

By DONALD E. FINK

TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Titan Explosion Cripples U. S. Launch, Surveillance Capability

TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Titan Coverage

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Editorial

U. S. Launcher Crisis

The United States has suffered another serious setback in its national space program, this one involving the second consecutive failure of an Air Force Titan 34D expendable launch vehicle at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The Apr. 18 Titan launch had been delayed because of an earlier Titan 34D accident last August, which USAF investigators traced to a failure in a first-stage high-pressure turbo-pump.

By DONALD E. FINK

1617
TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Titan Explosion Cripples U. S. Launch, Surveillance Capability

Washington—The U. S. Air Force Titan 34D explosion Apr. 18 at Vandenberg AFB intensifies an already critical U. S. space launch crisis crippling strategic reconnaissance, missile warning and other military satellite operations. Accident investigators are sure one of the vehicle’s two solid rocket boosters exploded, but are trying to determine whether the explosion was caused by a booster defect or an external factor, such as an unplanned activation of the destruet package on the solid rocket that exploded.
1819
TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Titan Coverage

Explosion of the Titan 34D satellite launch vehicle on its pad at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., was covered by these AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY editors: Bruce A. Smith, bureau chief, and engineering editor Michael A. Dornheim, in Los Angeles; Craig Covault, senior editor space technology, Theresa M. Foley, space technology editor, and Paul Mann, senior congressional editor, in Washington, and Edward H. Kolcum, senior editor Southeast U. S., at Kennedy Space Center.
1819
TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Investigators Search for Clues To Cause of Titan Blast

1819
TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Safety Investigation

2021
TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Titan Accident Prompts Funding, Technology and Policy Questions

2021
TITAN 34D ACCIDENT

Propellant Mist Exposure

2223
Aeronautical Engineering

India Nearing Full Production Of Soviet MiG-27M Fighter

Bangalore, India—Soviet MiG-27M strike fighters being delivered to the Indian air force from the Hindustan Aeronautics, Ltd. (HAL), factory in Nasik, India, require higher strength, lighter and better quality titanium and steel alloy materials than did the earlier MiG-21 series, which also is in production at the factory.

By David A. Brown

2223
Missile Engineering

Hughes, Raytheon Agree to Cost Limits On AMRAAM Missile

2223
Space Technology

Challenger Crew Module Ejected From Fireball

April 211986 May 51986