TITAN EXPLOSION SEEN AS BLOW TO INTELLIGENCE
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP90-00965R000604920012-1
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
K
Document Page Count:
1
Document Creation Date:
December 27, 2016
Document Release Date:
December 20, 2012
Sequence Number:
12
Case Number:
Publication Date:
April 21, 1986
Content Type:
OPEN SOURCE
File:
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Body:
ARTICLE APPEARED
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/12/20: CIA-RDP90-00965R000604920012-1
v
3 By Soott Armstrong
1.111%1ID 11Ilk 114 3l.1tNLt 1VIU1N11UK
21 April 1986
Titan explosion seen as blow to intelligence
Reported loss of spy satellite could also impede arms control
v
The explosion marked the second straight failure of a
Titan 34D, after seven successful launches. Last August,
a Titan blew up about two minutes after liftoff from
Vandenberg. The failure was blamed on the premature
shutdown of one of the rocket's two first stage engines.
The destruction of the latest Titan marks a serious
setback for the nation's ability to put heavy satellites
and other payloads into space. The 34D is the power-
house of unmanned launch systems, capable of carrying
a large truck into orbit.
Last year, the shuttles and Titans accounted for two-
thirds of the nation's satellite launches. Lighter rockets
accounted for the rest. A new, unmanned rocket capable
of lifting heavy payloads is not expected to be ready for
launch until late 1988.
For the military, however, the most immediate con-
cern appears to be what damage might have been done to
US intelligence gathering capabilities.
KH-11 satellites operate in low-earth orbit and can be
maneuvered to monitor specific areas of the earth.
They are considered valuable in keeping tabs oii such
things as troop movements and turbulence in the Middle
East. Much of their time is believed to be spent looking in
on the Soviets, since the US can't use another key source
of intelligence-gathering, photo-reconnaissance from air-
craft. The US won't violate Soviet airspace.
The US has other means of monitoring the Soviets
from space. This includes picking up signals with early-
warning and electronic surveillance satellites.
But the KH-11 satellites have a few trump cards.
They take photos and beam them to ground stations
instantly. The US, experts say, have "close look" satel-
lites that are sent up for short periods of time, mainly to
monitor crises. These usually don't send back images
instantly but drop film for mid-air interception by spe-
cially equipped planes.
The KH-11s are also considered valuable in monitor-
ing the production and deployment of nuclear missiles i
and verifying arms-control treaties. The US usually has
two of the big satellites operating at any given time.
With only one on orbit now, it leaves the US in a
precarious position.
Our total strategic photo. reconnaissance -is'hanging`
on one satellite," says Curtis Peebles, an aerospace ana--_~
lyst who has written widely on military-space issues.
Some experts say the shuttle is the only vehicle that
can launch the next photo-reconnaissance satellite in the
series, the KH-12. So, with the shuttle program
grounded, it could be a long time before it sees duty.
Los Angs.s
The explosion of a Titan rocket believed carrying a
secret spy satellite appears to have dealt a serious blow
to US monitoring capability. It could also have a major
impact on arms-control process.
Although Air Force officials will only say the payload
lost late -last week was secret, aerospace experts believe
it was a KH-11 photo-reconnaissance satellite. When US
intelligence officials keep tabs on Soviet military
maneuverings, they rely heavily on the KH-11.
The KH-11 is equipped with powerful cameras that
send back photographs giving details of everything from
Soviet troop movements to aircraft strength to nuclear
missile inventories.
"The KH-11," says one aerospace analyst, "is the
workhorse of US spy satellites."
Now, however, the US may be facing a blind spot in its
"eye-in-the-sky" capability that could have national se-
curity implications. The US now has only one such satel-
lite in orbit. It was launched in December 1984, and, with
a life expectancy of only two to three years, may only
last another year or so.
"You just can't exaggerate the importance of photo-
reconnaissance to US intelligence gathering," says Dr.
Paul Stares, a military-space expert at the Brookings
Institution in Washington. "There must be a lot of ner-
vous people at the Pentagon right now."
Lofting a similar satellite quickly appears difficult.
Titan launches from the missile test center at Vanden-
berg Air Force Base near here will be halted until the
cause of the explosion is known, says Air Force Capt.
Rick Sanford, a base spokesman.
The only other US launch vehicle capable of carrying
such a large payload - the space shuttle - is already
grounded because of the destruction of Challenger last
January.
"It is more serious than just affecting the military,"
says one aerospace expert who requested anonymity,
noting the importance of photo-reconnaissance satellites
in verifying compliance with arms-control treaties. "It
imperils the entire arms-control process."
The Titan 34D was destroyed in a fiery explosion a
few seconds after liftoff at Vandenberg's Launch Com-
plex Four, about 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
There were no serious injuries and damage was said to
be limited to the launch complex itself. An investigation
into the cause of the accident - not expected to be
known for some time - began over the weekend.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/12/20: CIA-RDP90-00965R000604920012-1