# Titan III

> series of American expendable launch vehicles based on the Titan ICBM

**Wikidata**: [Q50327284](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q50327284)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/titan-iii

## Summary
Titan III is a series of American expendable launch vehicles derived from the Titan intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) design. Built by Martin Marietta, the Titan III family includes multiple variants (Titan IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIID, IIIE, 34D, Commercial Titan III) and one cancelled variant (Titan IIIM).

## Key Facts
- Titan III is a series of American expendable launch vehicles based on the Titan ICBM.  
- Manufacturer: Martin Marietta.  
- Instance of: rocket series; Subclass of: Titan (American rocket family).  
- Primary variants/parts: Titan IIIA, Titan IIIB, Titan IIIC, Titan IIID, Titan IIIE, Titan 34D, Commercial Titan III.  
- Cancelled variant: Titan IIIM (listed as cancelled).  
- The Titan IIIC is pictured/ documented as having launched in 1979 (image metadata).  
- Commons category: "Titan III"; available Wikimedia language pages include commons, de, hr, nl.  
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/11b62r4sgh.  
- Wikidata description: "series of American expendable launch vehicles based on the Titan ICBM."

## FAQs
### Q: What is Titan III?
A: Titan III is a family of American expendable launch vehicles derived from the Titan ICBM, produced by Martin Marietta and fielded in multiple variants.

### Q: Who manufactured the Titan III series?
A: The Titan III family was manufactured by Martin Marietta.

### Q: What variants are included in the Titan III family?
A: Documented Titan III variants include Titan IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIID, IIIE, Titan 34D, and Commercial Titan III; the Titan IIIM variant was cancelled.

### Q: Was any Titan III variant cancelled?
A: Yes. The Titan IIIM variant is listed with the qualifier "cancelled."

### Q: Is there visual or archival media for Titan III?
A: Yes. There is at least one image noted of a Titan IIIC launch (labeled as launched in 1979) and a Wikimedia Commons category for Titan III.

## Why It Matters
Titan III represents a key example of adapting a military missile design (the Titan ICBM) into a family of expendable orbital launch vehicles. As a member of the broader Titan rocket family, the Titan III line showed the modular approach of producing multiple variants from a common heritage. The manufacturer's involvement (Martin Marietta) places the series within the context of U.S. aerospace industry development. The existence of several named variants and a cancelled variant indicates the program accommodated different configurations and mission needs over time. Titan III's documentation on Wikimedia Commons and presence in multiple language resources reflect ongoing public and archival interest. Overall, Titan III is significant for its role as a distinct branch of the American Titan launch vehicle lineage and for illustrating how ICBM-derived designs were repurposed into expendable launch systems.

## Notable For
- Being a rocket series derived directly from the Titan intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) design.  
- Having a broad family of variants (IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIID, IIIE, 34D, Commercial Titan III) under the Titan III designation.  
- Inclusion of a cancelled variant, Titan IIIM, explicitly documented as cancelled.  
- Manufactured by Martin Marietta, a major U.S. aerospace contractor.  
- Photographic/archival evidence noting a Titan IIIC launch in 1979.

## Body
### Overview
- Titan III is identified as a series of American expendable launch vehicles.
- It is based on the Titan ICBM design.
- It is part of the wider Titan rocket family.

### Classification and Relationships
- Instance of: rocket series.
- Subclass of: Titan (American rocket family).
- Part of/has parts: includes multiple variant classes (see Variants).

### Manufacturer
- Built by Martin Marietta.

### Variants (has_part)
- Titan IIIA
- Titan IIIB
- Titan IIIC
- Titan IIID
- Titan IIIE
- Titan 34D
- Commercial Titan III
- Titan IIIM (qualified as cancelled)

### Notation and Media
- Commons category: "Titan III".
- Wikimedia language pages available: commons, de, hr, nl.
- Image record: Titan IIIC launch image with qualifier indicating a 1979 launch.

### Identifiers
- Wikidata description: "series of American expendable launch vehicles based on the Titan ICBM."
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/11b62r4sgh.
- Sitelink count (aggregate): 4.

### Cancellation Note
- The Titan IIIM is explicitly marked with a qualifier indicating it was cancelled.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Titan III",
  "description": "Series of American expendable launch vehicles based on the Titan ICBM.",
  "identifier": "/g/11b62r4sgh",
  "manufacturer": "Martin Marietta",
  "additionalType": "rocket series"
}