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| | The Titan Launch Vehicle |
 | | Although the Air Force had not identified any payloads for the Titan III other than the orbital glider (which was canceled before final testing), it became clear that future payloads would cover a spectrum of space needs: reconnaissance, communications, military orbital development systems, satellite inspection and interception, surveillance and early warning, and nuclear test detection. |
 | | Indeed, the early Titan III concept would permit at least four configurations: the two-stage core vehicle, the core vehicle with a final upper stage, the core with solid-rocket boosters for an initial stage, and the core with solid boosters and an upper stage. |
 | | Aerospace was centrally involved in the development of the Titan III vehicle and a new launch-site processing concept called "Integrate, Transfer, and Launch." This revolutionary concept was driven by the configuration variability of the vehicle and the predicted launch rates as high as 60 per year (see "A Complete Range of Launch Activities"). |
| www.aero.org /publications/crosslink/winter2003/07.html (3570 words) |
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