The Titan 34D was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 rocket, used to launch a number of satellites for mostly military applications. After its retirement from military service, a small number were converted to the Commercial Titan III

Commercial Titan III

The Commercial Titan III, also known as CT-3 or CT-III was an American expendable launch system, developed by Martin Marietta during the late 1980s and flown four times during the early 1990s. It was derived from the Titan 34D, and was originally proposed as a medium-lift expendable launch system...

 configuration, which included a stretched second stage, and a larger fairing. Several communications satellite

Communications satellite

A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...

s, and the NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 Mars Observer

Mars Observer

The Mars Observer spacecraft, also known as the Mars Geoscience/Climatology Orbiter, was a 1,018-kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on September 25, 1992 to study the Martian surface, atmosphere, climate and magnetic field...

 spacecraft were launched by commercial Titan 34Ds.

Derived from the Titan III

Titan III

The Titan IIIC was a space booster used by the United States Air Force. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. It was planned to be used as a launch vehicle in the cancelled Dyna-Soar and Manned Orbiting Laboratory programs...

, the Titan 34D featured stretched first and second stages with more-powerful solid boosters. A variety of upper stages were available, including the Inertial Upper Stage

Inertial Upper Stage

The Inertial Upper Stage , originally known as the Interim Upper Stage, is a two-stage solid-fueled booster rocket developed by the U.S...

, the Transfer Orbit Stage

Transfer orbit stage

The Transfer Orbit Stage was an upper stage developed by Martin Marietta for Orbital Sciences Corporation during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The TOS was designed to be a lower-cost alternative to Inertial Upper Stage and Centaur upper stages...

, and the Transtage

Transtage

Transtage was an American upper stage used on Titan III rockets. 40 were launched, of which three failed.The first launch, boosted by a Titan IIIA carrier rocket, occurred on 1 September 1964. The Transtage failed to pressurise, resulting in premature engine cutoff, and a failure to reach orbit....

. The Titan 34D made its maiden flight on 30 October 1982 with two DSCS defense communications satellite

Communications satellite

A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...

s for the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Department of Defense (DOD).

All launches were conducted from either LC-40

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 40

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 , previously Launch Complex 40 is a launch pad at the north end of Cape Canaveral, Florida...

 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads...

 or SLC-4E

Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 4

Space Launch Complex 4 , was a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, used by Atlas and Titan rockets between 1963 and 2005. It consisted of two separate launch pads, SLC-4W and SLC-4E, which were formerly designated PALC2-3 and PALC2-4 respectively. Both pads were originally built for use by...

 at Vandenberg Air Force Base

Vandenberg Air Force Base

Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....

. 15 launches were carried out, of which three failed. On 18 April 1986, a Titan 34D exploded 8.5 seconds after launch, destroying a Big Bird

Big Bird (satellite)

KH-9 HEXAGON, commonly known as Big Bird, was a series of photographic reconnaissance satellites launched by the United States between 1971 and 1986. Of twenty launch attempts by the United States Air Force, all but one were successful. Photographic film aboard Big Bird was sent back to Earth in...

 (KH-9) satellite, and scattering debris and toxic propellant over Vandenberg AFB.

Use with Vortex satellites

Three Vortex

Vortex (satellite)

Vortex, previously known as Chalet, is a class of spy satellite operated by the United States during the 1980s and 1990s to collect signals intelligence from high Earth orbit. The Vortex satellites were operated by the National Reconnaissance Office for the United States Air Force and listened to...

 satellites were launched using Titan 34D vehicles between 1984 and 1989.

Date	Spacecraft	NSSDC ID	Comments
1984-01-31	1984-009A	1984-009A]	also called Vortex 4
1988-09-02	USA 31	1988-077A	also called Vortex 5
1989-05-10	USA 37	1989-035A	also called Vortex 6

See also

• Titan III
• Titan IIIB
• Titan Missile Museum
  Titan Missile Museum
  The Titan Missile Museum, also known as Air Force Facility Missile Site 8 or as Titan II ICBM Site 571-7, is a former ICBM missile site located at 1580 West Duval Mine Road, Sahuarita, Arizona. It is located about 15 miles south of Tucson...
  
  
• List of Titan launches