Atlas V 411

Atlas V 411
Name	Atlas V 411
Manufacturer	United Launch Alliance
Country	United States
Family	Atlas V
Status	Active
First	2004
Diameter	3.81 m
Mass	~334,000 kg

Atlas V 411

Atlas V 411 is a configuration of the Atlas V family developed by Lockheed Martin and later operated by United Launch Alliance. It served as a medium-lift expendable launch vehicle used for placing payloads into Low Earth Orbit, Geostationary Transfer Orbit, and interplanetary trajectories for agencies such as NASA, United States Space Force, and commercial customers like Intelsat. The 411 variant balanced cost and performance by combining a single-core booster with a single solid rocket motor and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.

Overview

The 411 configuration originated within the Atlas V series produced at facilities including Decatur, Alabama and launched from complexes at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Vandenberg Space Force Base. Its development involved corporations and institutions such as Boeing, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Pratt & Whitney, and the United States Air Force acquisition offices. The vehicle contributed to programs including National Reconnaissance Office launches, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter-class missions, and commercial satellite deployments.

Design and Configuration

Atlas V 411 employed the Russian-derived RD-180 main engine program transitioned to Aerojet Rocketdyne supplied components and integrated with avionics from Honeywell and structural elements from United Launch Alliance partners. The first stage, or Common Core Booster, used a single RD-180 to produce liftoff thrust and was mated to a single Solid Rocket Motor supplied by Northrop Grumman subsidiaries. The Centaur upper stage incorporated an RL10 engine manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne with cryogenic propellants procured via contractors including Air Products and Chemicals. Payload fairings were provided by vendors such as Ruag Space and integrated with range services from Eastern Range and Western Range operations. Avionics and flight control systems trace lineage to programs at NASA Glenn Research Center and were qualified under standards from Federal Aviation Administration commercial space transportation regulations.

Launch History

The Atlas V family first flew in 2002 and the 411 variant entered service within that lineage during an era of missions involving NASA, NOAA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and commercial operators. Launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral supported eastward orbital insertions, while missions from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg accommodated polar trajectories. Range scheduling and manifesting involved agencies such as United States Space Force and contractors like SpaceX for competitive planning. The 411 configuration flew multiple times across the 2000s and 2010s, supporting science, reconnaissance, and telecommunications payloads.

Performance and Capabilities

With a single RD-180 core and one solid rocket motor, the 411 configuration delivered a thrust profile tailored for medium-class payloads. The Centaur upper stage enabled high-energy burns for Geostationary Transfer Orbit insertions and direct escape trajectories supporting missions to Moon and Mars departure conditions. Performance metrics were characterized by payload-to-LEO capability comparable to early Expendable Launch Vehicles used by International Launch Services and heritage systems from McDonnell Douglas. Guidance accuracy and insertion precision met requirements for Global Positioning System augmentation payloads and science missions coordinated with Jet Propulsion Laboratory navigation teams.

Notable Missions

The 411 configuration supported a range of high-profile payloads contracted by organizations such as NASA and the National Reconnaissance Office. It launched satellites analogous to those in the Landsat and GOES series, science platforms similar to Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and communications spacecraft akin to Galaxy and DIRECTV-class satellites. Cooperative activities included payload processing with Kennedy Space Center teams and mission integration with prime contractors such as Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Satellite Systems.

Development and Operational Context

Development of Atlas V configurations involved strategic decisions influenced by policy and procurement actions from bodies like United States Congress and executive direction from the Office of Management and Budget. The Atlas V program evolved amid competition with vehicles from SpaceX, Arianespace, and European Space Agency-backed launchers, and in response to geopolitical considerations affecting propulsion sourcing tied to RD-180 supply debates involving Russia. Industrial partnerships among Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and later the joint venture United Launch Alliance shaped manufacturing, launch operations, and transition plans toward next-generation rockets including programs at Blue Origin and policy-driven shifts toward domestic propulsion initiatives at Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Category:Atlas (rocket family) Category:United Launch Alliance