Department of the Air Force Report, 1996

Text

This text came with the file. It may have mistakes. When the text and the image disagree, the image is right.

67.
281 (Transit 2A), 22 June 60, Response Mode NA, Flight Phase 2 and 5: Although
boost phase was normal, anomalous performance during second-stage bum
produced an orbit with apogee of 570 miles and perigee of 341 miles instead of the
planned 500-mile circular orbit.
68.
262 (Courier lA), 18 Aug 60, Response Mode 4T, Flight Phase 1: Hydraulic
pressure began a steady decay beginning about 18 seconds after liftoff. Severe
transients were noted at 129.3 seconds.
Uncontrolled yaw, pitch, and roll
maneuvers began about 133 seconds. Between 138 and 143 seconds the missile
turned through three full revolutions in pitch. The upper stages separated· at
140.4 ·seconds and the first stage broke up about 142.8 seconds. The second stage
remained intact and was beacon tracked until 400 seconds.
70.
283 (Transit 3A), 30 Nov 60, Response Mode 4, Flight Phase 1: The first stage shut
down 11.2 seconds prematurely at 151.85 seconds when the MECO cutoff circuit
was armed. Since velocity at that time was about 2500 ft/ sec below the normal
cutoff velocity, portions of the first stage impacted in· Cuba. The second stage
separated and performed normally until shut down by the RSO at MECO plus
159 .9 seconds to prevent overflight of South America.
71.
313 (Transit 3B), 21 Feb 61, Response Mode NA, Flight Phase 4 and 5: Second bum
of second stage failed to occur. This resulted in an orbit with perigee of 539 miles
and apogee of 92 miles instead of the planned 500-mile circular orbit.
75.
311 (Composite I), 24 Jan 62, Response Mode 5, Flight Phase 2: Flight was within
acceptable limits until second-stage ignition. Probably because of rupture of the
lower oxidizer manifold, normal thrust levels never developed.
About 50
milliseconds after ignition, severe thrust chamber motion developed and the
second stage began to tumble. Telemetry indicated that the first tumble period
was about 29 seconds. Propellant depletion occurred at MECO plus 212 seconds.
The nominal first-bum duration was 378 seconds.
77.
314 (ANNA lA), 10 May 62, Response Mode 4, Flight Phase 2: After a successful
Thor flight, an electrical malfunction prevented separation and second-stage
ignition.
81.
240 (Asset-2), 24 Mar 64, Response Mode 4; Flight Phase 2: The second stage either
failed to ignite or burned for only one second.
9/10/96
170