Lockheed Martin is confident that it can launch the NASA Lewis and Clark spacecraft on schedule in June and July 1996 aboard its Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV 1). Its confidence comes despite the loss of the first LLV 1 following a booster failure on 15 August. CTA's $10 million Gemstar 1 data communications satellite was lost.
The LLV 1 was destroyed by range safety officers at T+160s after launch from Vandenberg AFB, California as the Orbus 21D second stage began its burn. The booster initially lost thrust-vector control during the later stages of the Castor 140 first-stage firing. (Flight International, 21-27 September, 1994).
The programme, nine months behind scheduled, was delayed recently by the need to change an auto-destruct system on the first stage, and a second-stage actuator.
The Lockheed Martin Titan 4 booster has been grounded for up to four months to replace the nozzles of the second-stage engines. It follows an engine test during which insulating material disintegrated. The Titan 4/Centaur launch of the Milstar 2 could now take place in November. A Titan 4 launch from Vandenberg AFB has also been moved, from August to November.
Source: Flight International
