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| Atlas V (401) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Atlas V (401) |
| Country | United States |
| Manufacturer | United Launch Alliance |
| Function | Expendable launch system |
| Height | 58.3 m |
| Diameter | 3.81 m |
| Mass | 334,500 kg |
| Status | Active (as variant of Atlas V family) |
| First launch | 2002-08-21 |
Atlas V (401) is a configuration of the Atlas V family developed by Lockheed Martin and later produced by United Launch Alliance for orbital launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Vandenberg Space Force Base. It uses a single-engine Common Core Booster and a single-engine Centaur upper stage with no solid rocket boosters or payload fairing extensions, optimized for medium-class payloads to low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The configuration has been selected for a range of civil, commercial, and national security missions conducted for customers such as NASA, the United States Space Force, and commercial satellite operators.
The Atlas V family traces its lineage to the Atlas rocket series and the Centaur (rocket stage), integrating heritage from the RD-180-powered Common Core Booster and the cryogenic Centaur upper stage. The (401) designation denotes a four-meter payload fairing, zero solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur in the second stage. Primary launch sites include Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral and Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg. Key customers have included NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office, International Space Station, and commercial satellite companies.
The Atlas V (401) employs a first stage Common Core Booster powered by the RD-180 engine, developed by NPO Energomash, with a two-chamber, high-performance kerolox architecture derived from RD-170 family technologies. The Centaur upper stage uses the RL10 engine, produced by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for high specific impulse provenance from the Aerojet Rocketdyne lineage. The four-meter payload fairing, derived from designs used by Hughes Aircraft Company and later Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, protects payloads during ascent. Avionics and flight control systems integrate heritage components from Lockheed Martin programs and modernized guidance hardware influenced by systems used on Titan IV and Delta IV vehicles. The architecture supports multiple payload adapters compatible with satellite buses from Boeing Satellite Development Center and Maxar Technologies.
The Atlas V family first flew in 2002 under Lockheed Martin management; the (401) configuration has supported dozens of missions from the early 2000s through the 2020s. Launch campaigns have supported high-profile windows such as planetary interplanetary departure trajectories for NASA missions, classified payload insertions for the National Reconnaissance Office, and commercial communications satellite deployments for operators like SES S.A. and Intelsat. Launch operations coordinate range safety with Eastern Range controllers and integrate payload processing at facilities associated with Boeing and United Launch Alliance.
Missions launched on the (401)-type vehicle include notable scientific and reconnaissance payloads for NASA and the National Reconnaissance Office. Scientific missions have included interplanetary probes and Earth science platforms collaborating with institutions such as Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center. National security missions have supported reconnaissance satellites developed by Lockheed Martin and payloads for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Commercial broadcasters including EchoStar and DirecTV have also used Atlas V configurations for GTO deployments.
The (401) configuration offers a balance of performance and cost-efficiency, providing payload capacity margins for LEO insertions and precise GTO injections, benefiting trajectories used in missions planned by Jet Propulsion Laboratory and orbital transfer strategies developed with SpaceX competition in mind. The vehicle's reliability draws on decades of Atlas and Centaur heritage including lessons from Atlas III and the Centaur D-1 development. Range support from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and mission assurance standards from United Launch Alliance contribute to high mission success rates.
Over its operational life, the Atlas V family and the (401) configuration incorporated upgrades to avionics, structural materials, and integration interfaces influenced by programs at Lockheed Martin and later consolidated under United Launch Alliance. Engine modernization, fairing improvements, and enhanced telemetry suites were developed in partnership with suppliers such as Pratt & Whitney and Northrop Grumman. International supply considerations involving NPO Energomash and policy changes by United States Department of Defense and United States Congress spurred investigations into RD-180 alternatives and influenced long-term evolution toward new launch systems.
While the Atlas V family remains a milestone in U.S. launch history, strategic shifts toward next-generation vehicles from United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and SpaceX have shaped plans for phased transitions. The Atlas V (401) legacy includes enabling flagship missions for NASA, supporting national security launches for the National Reconnaissance Office, and advancing commercial satellite deployment practices used by companies such as Intelsat and SES S.A.. Its design heritage informs successor architectures and contributes to ongoing discussions in industrial policy at institutions like Congress and agencies such as the Department of Defense.
Category:Atlas (rocket family) Category:United Launch Alliance rockets