Atlas V rocket
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| Atlas V rocket | |
|---|---|
| Name | Atlas V rocket |
| Country | United States |
| Manufacturer | United Launch Alliance (Lockheed Martin, Boeing) |
| Height | 58.3 m (191 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.81 m (12.5 ft) |
| Mass | 590,000 kg (1,300,000 lb) |
| Capacity | Geostationary transfer orbit: 20,520 kg (45,240 lb) |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Vandenberg Air Force Base |
| Total launches | 89 |
| Success rate | 100% |
Atlas V rocket is a United States-based expendable launch system developed by Lockheed Martin and Boeing as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, managed by the United States Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office. The Atlas V rocket is operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, and has been used to launch numerous NASA missions, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, New Horizons, and Curiosity Rover, as well as commercial satellites such as Intelsat and SES S.A.. The Atlas V rocket has also been used to launch National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and United States Air Force (USAF) payloads, including the Wideband Global SATCOM system and the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) system. The rocket's development involved collaboration with various organizations, including NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Introduction
The Atlas V rocket is a highly reliable and versatile launch vehicle, with a proven track record of success, having launched a wide range of payloads, including communications satellites, weather satellites, and spacecraft such as the Mars Science Laboratory and Juno (spacecraft), which was launched to study Jupiter and its Io (moon). The rocket's design is based on the Atlas III rocket, which was developed in the 1990s by Lockheed Martin, and has undergone significant upgrades and improvements, including the addition of a new Centaur (rocket stage) and the development of a new RD-180 engine, which is manufactured by NPO Energomash and used in the rocket's first stage. The Atlas V rocket has been launched from both Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Vandenberg Air Force Base, and has been used to launch payloads into a variety of orbits, including low Earth orbit (LEO), geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), and interplanetary trajectories, such as those used by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, which were launched to study the outer Solar System and beyond.
Design and Development
The Atlas V rocket is a two-stage launch vehicle, consisting of a first stage powered by an RD-180 engine, which is fueled by kerosene and liquid oxygen, and a second stage powered by an RL10 engine, which is fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The rocket's design is based on the Atlas III rocket, but features a number of significant upgrades and improvements, including a new Centaur (rocket stage) and the use of a 5.4-meter (18-foot) payload fairing, which is manufactured by Ruag Space and used to protect the payload during launch. The rocket's development involved collaboration with various organizations, including NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and was influenced by the design of other launch vehicles, such as the Ariane 5 and Delta IV rockets, which are used by Arianespace and United Launch Alliance (ULA) respectively. The Atlas V rocket's design and development also involved the use of advanced materials and technologies, such as carbon fiber and advanced composites, which are used in the rocket's structure and payload fairing.
Operational History
The Atlas V rocket has been in operation since 2002, and has launched a wide range of payloads, including communications satellites, weather satellites, and spacecraft such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and New Horizons, which was launched to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. The rocket has been launched from both Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Vandenberg Air Force Base, and has been used to launch payloads into a variety of orbits, including low Earth orbit (LEO), geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), and interplanetary trajectories, such as those used by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. The Atlas V rocket has also been used to launch National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and United States Air Force (USAF) payloads, including the Wideband Global SATCOM system and the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) system, which are used for communications and navigation purposes. The rocket's operational history has been marked by a number of significant milestones, including the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory and the Juno (spacecraft), which was launched to study Jupiter and its Io (moon).
Variants
The Atlas V rocket is available in a number of different variants, each with its own unique configuration and capabilities, including the Atlas V 401, Atlas V 411, Atlas V 421, and Atlas V 431, which are used for a variety of missions, including communications satellite launches and interplanetary missions. The rocket's variants are distinguished by the number of solid rocket boosters (SRBs) used, with the Atlas V 401 using no SRBs, the Atlas V 411 using one SRB, the Atlas V 421 using two SRBs, and the Atlas V 431 using three SRBs, which are manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne and used to provide additional thrust during launch. The Atlas V rocket's variants have been used to launch a wide range of payloads, including Intelsat and SES S.A. satellites, as well as NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) missions, such as the Rosetta (spacecraft) and Philae (spacecraft), which were launched to study comets and asteroids.
Notable Missions
The Atlas V rocket has been used to launch a number of notable missions, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, New Horizons, and Curiosity Rover, which was launched to study Mars and its geology. The rocket has also been used to launch National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and United States Air Force (USAF) payloads, including the Wideband Global SATCOM system and the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) system, which are used for communications and navigation purposes. The Atlas V rocket has also been used to launch commercial satellites, such as Intelsat and SES S.A., as well as NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) missions, such as the Rosetta (spacecraft) and Philae (spacecraft), which were launched to study comets and asteroids. The rocket's notable missions have included the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory and the Juno (spacecraft), which was launched to study Jupiter and its Io (moon), as well as the launch of the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, which were launched to study the outer Solar System and beyond. The Atlas V rocket has also been used to launch payloads for other organizations, including the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), which are used for a variety of purposes, including Earth observation and space exploration.