COLLECTION NAME:
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Record
Title:
The Last Titan
Explanation:
On October 19th [ http://www.vandenbe… ], a rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base - the last Titan rocket. Carrying a payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office, the successful Titan IV B launch brings to a close the Titan program whose first launch was in 1959. Originally designed as an intercontinental ballistic missile, the Titan rocket [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_(rocket_family) ] ultimately evolved into a heavy lift workhorse, launching defense, commercial, and scientific payloads to Earth orbit and beyond. In fact, many historic space explorations began with Titan launches, including manned Gemini [ http://www-pao.ksc.… gemini.htm ] missions, the Viking [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n… ] missions to Mars, the Voyager [ http://voyager.jpl.… ] tours of the outer solar system, and the Cassini [ http://saturn.jpl.n… ] spacecraft now orbiting Saturn. Cassini's probe Huygens accomplished the most distant landing [ http://antwrp.gsfc.… ] on another world, while Voyager 1 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.… ] is now humanity's most distant spacecraft [ http://www.heavens-… ].
facet_when:
1959
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_what:
Cassini
facet_when_year:
1959
UID:
SPD-APOD-ap051027
Link To Source
