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Department of the Air Force Report, 1996

U.S. Department of War · 1996-09-10 · 181 pages · text from the file's own layer

This final report, dated September 10, 1996, was prepared by the Research Triangle Institute for the Department of the Air Force's 45th and 30th Space Wing safety offices. Titled Modeling Unlikely Space-Booster Failures in Risk Calculations, it shows how rare Mode-5 failures, in which a rocket veers well off its intended flight line, are modeled in the DAMP risk-analysis program. An appendix lists Atlas, Delta, Titan and Thor launch and failure histories through August 1996.

From the source:Release of 2026-05-08 Incident: 9/10/96, N/A. This report describes the Modeling of Unlikely Space-Booster Failures in Risk Calculations, documenting historical launch failure modes and recommending corrective actions to address them using novel modelling techniques.

Open the PDF at page 180 Original source ↗

“Mission Control”17 pages

  • p. 88 …Vehicle loses control at or shortly after liftoff, with all flight directions equally likely. Destruct is…
  • p. 106 …121 (8) Missiles/Space Vehicle Files, 45th Space Wing, Wing Safety, Mission Flight Control and Analysis…
  • p. 111 …Such behavior did not necessarily prevent the attainment of some, or even all, mission objectives. 50…
  • p. 131 …Due to excess speed, spacecraft passed 22,000 miles in front of moon, and primary mission…
  • p. 132 …Although Atlas performance was satisfactory, the mission was apparently a failure. No other data available. 134…
  • p. 133 …A flight-control malfunction occurred at about 15 seconds at the start of the pitch program…
  • p. 137 …Vehicle became unstable when B2 pitch control was lost at 121 seconds. Loss of pitch control…
  • p. 138 …The missile then lost attitude control, executing a hard yaw rate tum throughout and beyond the…
  • p. 139 …of the rate gyro or an electrical failure in the pitch channel of the flight control…
  • p. 140 caused yaw and roll rates that the flight control system could not correct. As a result…
  • p. 151 …Attitude control lost during second stage coast period. Third stage spun up, but did not fire…
  • p. 153 …One solid-rocket motor carried to MECO, but mission was still a complete success. 102. SMS…
  • p. 169 …Missile tumbled out of control at 130 seconds, then broke up. 104. IHA (65-210), 1…
  • p. 170 …Nominal mission through transtage second burn shutdown. Attitude control system engine failed to shutdown following vernier…
  • p. 171 …However, satellite propulsion system malfunctioned putting satellite in uncontrollable position with no possibility of restoring mission…
  • p. 172 …control until propellant depletion. Trajectory inaccuracies were compensated for during Stage-2 burn, and the mission…
  • p. 180 …Missiles/Space Vehicle Files, 45th Space Wing, Wing Safety, Mission Flight Control and Analysis (SEO), 1957…
References
1. Montgomery, R. M., and Ward, J. A., "Computations of Hit Probabilities From
Launch-Vehicle Debris", RTI/4666/02F, September 19, 1990.
2. Eastern Test Range Directorate of Safety Post-Test Report, Test Dl000, 18 June 1991.
3. Ward, James A., "Baseline Launch-Area Risks for Atlas and Delta Launches",
RTI/5180/60/40F, September 30, 1995.
4. 11Spacelift Effective Capacity: Part 1 - Launch Vehicle Projected Success Rate
Analysis", Draft, Booz•Allen & Hamilton, Inc., 19 February 1992, prepared for the
Air Force Space Command Launch Services Office.
5. "Launch Options for the Future: Special Report", Office of Technology Assessment,
July 1988.
6. Silke, Kevin, 11Reliability Growth Model Overview", General Dynamics Reliability
Bulletin 92-02.
7. "Eastern Range Launches, 1950 - 1954, Chronological Summary'', 45th Space Wing
History Office.
8. "Eastern Range Launches, Chronological Summary", 45th Space Wing History
Office, Extension updating the launch summary through 30 December 1995.
9. "Vandenberg AFB Launch Summary'', Headquarters 30th Space Wing, Office of
History, Launch Chronology, 1958 - 1995.
10. Isakowitz, Steven J., (updated by Jeff Samella), International Reference Guide to Space
Launch Systems, Second Edition, published and distributed by AIAA in 1995.
11. Smith, O. G., "Launch Systems for Manned Spacecraft'', Draft, July 23, 1991.
12. "Comparison of Orbit Parameters - Table l", prepared by McDonnell Douglas
Space Systems Company, Delta launches through 4 Nov 95.
13. Missiles/Space Vehicle Files, 45th Space Wing, Wing Safety, Mission Flight Control
and Analysis (SEO), 1957 through 1995.
14. Missile Launch Operations Logs, 30th Space Wing, copies provided via ACT A, Inc.,
(Mr. James Baeker), 1963 through 1995.
9/10/96 171 RTI

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Report, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 181 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.