Dec 12 1999
From The Space Library
The U.S. Air Force successfully launched a Titan II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying the first of a new generation of military weather satellites, a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Block 5D-3 spacecraft. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space had built the DMSP Block 5D-3 craft under contract with the U.S. Air Force, and Lockheed Martin Astronautics had supplied the launch vehicle. U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base managed the DMSP and Titan programs. The first launch of a Titan II since 19 June 1999, it was the ninth consecutive successful launch of the space launch vehicle. The Titan II, a type of booster previously used as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and a fundamental element of the United States' strategic deterrent for two decades, was one of 14 two-stage, liquid-fueled former ICBMs that Lockheed Martin Astronautics had refurbished for Air Force space launches. NASA had also used Titan II rockets during its Gemini program in the 1960s, launching 10 piloted and 2 unpiloted missions. The DMSP Block 5D-3 series accommodated larger sensor payloads than previous models, featuring a larger power supply; a more powerful on-board computer with increased memory, giving the craft greater autonomy; and increased battery power, intended to extend the mission's duration. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration operated DMSP, a program for strategic and tactical weather prediction to aid the U.S. military in planning sea, land, and air operations.
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