Many space probes were launched on Atlas-Agena rockets. Several Agena models were used as the program progressed, including the Agena-A, Agena-B, and Agena-D stages. The Agena, used first as an upper stage on Thor-Agena rockets was adapted for use on Atlas rockets. View another illustration showing several Atlas rocket versions. With a heritage that spans six decades, Atlas rockets will continue to see service for many years to come.Ītlas V 500, Human figure for scale (1.8m tall). Continually evolved and improved over the decades, the current version, Atlas V, bears little resemblance to versions first flown in the middle of the last century. Still Flyingįifty years after its first orbital flight, Atlas continues to launch American military, commercial, and scientific spacecraft. Atlas rockets also launched all of the Ranger, Surveyor, and Lunar Orbiter probes to the Moon. Scientific probes launched on Atlas rockets include the first mission to Mercury ( Mariner 10), Venus ( Mariner 2), Mars ( Mariner 4), Jupiter ( Pioneer 10), Saturn ( Pioneer 11), and Pluto ( New Horizons). Atlas was used to launch heavily modified Agena stages, known as Agena Target Vehicles (ATV), to serve as docking targets for orbiting Gemini spacecraft. Atlas ultimately launched four manned Mercury missions.Ītlas went on to play a critical role in support of project Gemini. It was aboard Friendship 7 that John Glenn became the third man to orbit the Earth. Perhaps the most famous payload launched on the shoulders of Atlas was the Friendship 7 spacecraft in 1962. The lightweight balloon structure, along with the ability to drop the booster engines in flight, allowed the Atlas to approach conventionally staged rockets in performance while still retaining the ability to start and test all main engines while still safely on the ground. Some displays have had an internal structure built within the tanks to provide support.) If the air compressor fails for any reason, the rocket is at risk of collapsing. The structure, known as a 'balloon' structure, was so lightweight that the fuel tanks needed to be continuously pressurized to avoid collapsing under their own weight! (Atlas rockets on display at museums use an air compressor to keep the tanks pressurized. Balloon Tank StructureĪnother design feature of the Atlas was the use of an extremely lightweight structure. By shedding the weight of the two booster engines, the Atlas was now light enough to fly all the way to orbit using only the sustainer engine. After a short period of time, the rocket became light enough and the two booster rockets were dropped. The inner engine, sometimes referred to as the sustainer engine, remained permanently attached to the rocket, while the two outer engines, known as booster engines, were used only during the first few minutes of flight.Īs the rocket rose into the air, fuel was consumed at a fast rate. First of all, of the three main rocket engines on the Atlas, only one remained with the Atlas all the way to orbit. The radical solution developed was two fold. Using conventional staging, with second stage engines starting in flight, would simply be too unreliable given 1950's technology. The only way to ensure that a rocket started correctly was to start the engines while the rocket was still on the ground. However, chemical rockets of this era could not be reliably started. Clearly, there were significant benefits to the concept of 'staging', or the dropping of used engines and fuel tanks to lighten a rocket as it heads toward orbit. In the 1950's, rocket designers faced a number of serious challenges. One unusual feature of the Atlas rocket is its unique staging system. Over the last 50 years, more than 600 Atlas rockets have flown. Although its career as a nuclear armed missile was short-lived, the Atlas has evolved into one of the worlds premier satellite launchers. Other Stuff Store Archives Graphics Wallpapers AboutĬontact Information Email Richard Historic SpacecraftĪtlas Rockets Atlas Rockets Overview 50 years of RocketryĪtlas was the name given to Americas first operational ICBM. Reference Spaceflight Links Shuttle Flights Master Index Timeline Acronyms Quotes Apollo Capsules Commercial Gemini Lunar Module Mercury Military Spacecraft Shenzhou Soyuz Space Shuttle Vostok & VoskhodĪtlas Delta / Thor Jupiter Orbital Redstone Saturn I & IB Saturn 5 SpaceX Titan Upper Stages Other RocketsĬhinese European Indian Japanese Russian V-2 (A-4) Other NationsĪsteroid / Comet Discovery Lunar Missions Outer Planets Mariner Mars Pioneer Telescopes Venus Probes
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |