Final flight (almost)

Friday, April 29th of 2005 marked the end of an era. At 8:50 PM EDT, the final Titan rocket to be launched from "the Cape" blasted off into space. A Titan IV-B rocket launched from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying a classified national security payload. This marks the final launch of the Titan vehicle from the Cape, topping a long series of missions that started back in 1959. California's Vandenberg Air Force Base will launch the final Titan in July of this year, which will mark the final flight of the storied Titan family.

Though the men and women on the team dedicated to the Titan are no doubt joyful that the launch was a success, I imagine that joy is tempered by trepidation: several hundred will be laid off in the months ahead as the Titan program draws to a close.

Congratulations to the Titan family, and thank you for your service. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.