BREAKING NEWS
Cloud Server Hosting For Online Businesses
Inexpensive SEO Services
Benefits of Wanting to play Free Online Slot machines
Atlas V

Summary

Atlas V[a] is an expendable launch system and the fifth major version in the Atlas launch vehicle family. It was originally designed by Lockheed Martin, now being operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Atlas V is also a major NASA launch vehicle. It is America's longest-serving active rocket. In August 2021, ULA announced that Atlas V would be retired, and all 29 remaining launches had been sold.[8] As of 10 November 2022, 19 launches remain.

Atlas V
Atlas V(401) launches with LRO and LCROSS cropped.jpg
Launch of an Atlas V 401 carrying the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS space probes on 18 June 2009.
Function
ManufacturerUnited Launch Alliance
Country of originUnited States
Cost per launchUS$110–153 million in 2016[1]
Size
Height58.3 m (191 ft) with payload fairing, 52.4 m (172 ft) with Starliner
Diameter3.81 m (12.5 ft)
Mass590,000 kg (1,300,000 lb)
Stages2 (3 with Star 48 upper stage)
Capacity
Payload to low Earth orbit
Orbital inclination28.70°
Mass8,210–18,850 kg (18,100–41,560 lb)[2]
Payload to geostationary transfer orbit
Mass4,750–8,900 kg (10,470–19,620 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyAtlas
Based onAtlas III
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sites
Total launches
97
  • 401: 41
  • 411: 6
  • 421: 9
  • 431: 3
  • 501: 7
  • 511: 1
  • 521: 2
  • 531: 5
  • 541: 9
  • 551: 12
  • N22: 2
Success(es)
95
  • 401: 39
  • 411: 6
  • 421: 9
  • 431: 3
  • 501: 7
  • 511: 1
  • 521: 2
  • 531: 5
  • 541: 9
  • 551: 12
  • N22: 2
Partial failure(s)
2
First flight21 August 2002
Hot Bird 6
Last flight10 November 2022
JPSS-2
Type of passengers/cargo
Boosters – AJ-60A[4]
No. boosters0 to 5
Height17 m (56 ft)[4]
Diameter1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Gross mass46,697 kg (102,949 lb)
Propellant mass42,630 kg (93,980 lb)[5]
Maximum thrust1,688.4 kN (379,600 lbf)
Specific impulse279.3 s (2.739 km/s)
Burn time94 seconds
PropellantHTPB
Boosters – GEM 63[6][7]
No. boosters0 to 5
Height20.1 m (66 ft)[6]
Diameter1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Gross mass49,300 kg (108,700 lb)
Propellant mass44,200 kg (97,400 lb)
Maximum thrust1,663 kN (374,000 lbf)
Burn time94 seconds
PropellantHTPB
First stage – Atlas CCB
Height32.46 m (106.5 ft)
Diameter3.81 m (12.5 ft)
Empty mass21,054 kg (46,416 lb)
Propellant mass284,089 kg (626,309 lb)
Powered by1 RD-180
Maximum thrust
  • 3,827 kN (860,000 lbf) (sea level)
  • 4,152 kN (933,000 lbf) (vacuum)
Specific impulse
  • 311.3 s (3.053 km/s) (sea level)
  • 337.8 s (3.313 km/s) (vacuum)
Burn time253 seconds
PropellantRP-1 / LOX
Second stage – Centaur
Height12.68 m (41.6 ft)
Diameter3.05 m (10.0 ft)
Empty mass2,316 kg (5,106 lb)
Propellant mass20,830 kg (45,920 lb)
Powered by1 RL10A or 1 RL10C (SEC), or 2 RL10A (DEC)
Maximum thrust99.2 kN (22,300 lbf) (RL10A)
Specific impulse450.5 s (4.418 km/s) (RL10A-4-2)
Burn time842 seconds (RL10A-4-2)
PropellantLH2 / LOX
[edit on Wikidata]

Each Atlas V launch vehicle consists of two main stages. The first stage is powered by a Russian RD-180 engine manufactured by Energomash and burning kerosene and liquid oxygen. The Centaur upper stage is powered by one or two American RL10 engine(s) manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne and burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The Star 48 upper stage was used on the New Horizons mission as a third stage. Strap-on solid rocket boosters (SRBs) are used in most configurations. AJ-60A SRBs were used originally, but they were replaced in November 2020 by Graphite-Epoxy Motor (GEM 63) SRBs. The standard payload fairings are 4.2 or 5.4 m (14 or 18 ft) in diameter with various lengths.[9]

Vehicle descriptionEdit

The Atlas V was developed by Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services (LMCLS) as part of the U.S. Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program and made its inaugural flight on 21 August 2002. The vehicle operates from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) and SLC-3E at Vandenberg Space Force Base. LMCLS continued to market the Atlas V to commercial customers worldwide until January 2018, when United Launch Alliance (ULA) assumed control of commercial marketing and sales.[10][11]

Atlas V first stageEdit

The Atlas V first stage, the Common Core Booster (CCB), is 3.8 m (12 ft) in diameter and 32.5 m (107 ft) in length. It is powered by one NPO Energomash RD-180 main engine burning 284,450 kg (627,100 lb) of liquid oxygen and RP-1. The booster operates for about four minutes, providing about 4 MN (900,000 lbf) of thrust.[12] Thrust can be augmented with up to five Aerojet AJ-60A or Northrop Grumman GEM 63 strap-on solid rocket boosters, each providing an additional 1.27 MN (290,000 lbf) of thrust for 94 seconds.

The main differences between the Atlas V and earlier Atlas I and II family launch vehicles are:

  • The first stage tanks no longer use stainless steel monocoque pressure stabilized "balloon" construction. The tanks are isogrid aluminum and are structurally stable when unpressurized.[12]
  • Accommodation points for parallel stages, both smaller solids and identical liquids, are built into first-stage structures.[12]
  • The "1.5 staging" technique is no longer used, having been discontinued on the Atlas III with the introduction of the Russian RD-180 engine.[12]
  • The main-stage diameter increased from 3.0 to 3.7 m (9.8 to 12.1 ft).[13]

Centaur upper stageEdit

The Centaur upper stage uses a pressure-stabilized propellant-tank design and cryogenic propellants. The Centaur stage for Atlas V is stretched 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) relative to the Atlas IIAS Centaur and is powered by either one or two Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10A-4-2 engines, each engine developing a thrust of 99.2 kN (22,300 lbf). The inertial navigation unit (INU) located on the Centaur provides guidance and navigation for both the Atlas and Centaur and controls both Atlas and Centaur tank pressures and propellant use. The Centaur engines are capable of multiple in-space starts, making possible insertion into low Earth parking orbit, followed by a coast period and then insertion into GTO.[14] A subsequent third burn following a multi-hour coast can permit direct injection of payloads into geostationary orbit.[citation needed]

As of 2006, the Centaur vehicle had the highest proportion of burnable propellant relative to total mass of any modern hydrogen upper stage and hence can deliver substantial payloads to a high-energy state.[15]

Star 48 third stageEdit

Star 48 is a type of solid rocket motor used by many space propulsion and launch vehicle stages. It was developed primarily by Thiokol Propulsion, and is now, after several mergers, manufactured by Northrop Grumman's Space Systems division. A Star 48B stage is also one of the few man-made items sent on escape trajectories out of the Solar System, although it is derelict since its use. It has been used once on the Atlas V as a third stage for the New Horizons mission.

Payload fairingEdit

Atlas V payload fairings are available in two diameters, depending on satellite requirements. The 4.2 m (14 ft) diameter fairing,[16] originally designed for the Atlas II booster, comes in three different lengths: the original 9 m (30 ft) version and extended 10 and 11 m (33 and 36 ft) versions, first flown respectively on the AV-008/Astra 1KR and AV-004/Inmarsat-4 F1 missions. Fairings of up to 7.2 m (24 ft) diameter and 32.3 m (106 ft) length have been considered but were never implemented.[9]

A 5.4 m (18 ft) diameter fairing, with an internally usable diameter of 4.57 m (15.0 ft), was developed and built by RUAG Space[17] in Switzerland. The RUAG fairing uses carbon fiber composite construction and is based on a similar flight-proven fairing for the Ariane 5. Three configurations are manufactured to support the Atlas V: 20.7 m (68 ft), 23.4 m (77 ft), and 26.5 m (87 ft) long.[17] While the classic 4.2 m (14 ft) fairing covers only the payload, the RUAG fairing is much longer and fully encloses both the Centaur upper stage and the payload.[18]

UpgradesEdit

Many systems on the Atlas V have been the subject of upgrade and enhancement both prior to the first Atlas V flight and since that time. Work on a new Fault Tolerant Inertial Navigation Unit (FTINU) started in 2001 to enhance mission reliability for Atlas vehicles by replacing the existing non-redundant navigation and computing equipment with a fault-tolerant unit.[19] The upgraded FTINU first flew in 2006,[20] and in 2010 a follow-on order for more FTINU units was awarded.[21]

In 2015, ULA announced that the Aerojet Rocketdyne-produced AJ-60A solid rocket boosters (SRBs) then in use on Atlas V would be superseded by new GEM 63 boosters produced by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. The extended GEM 63XL boosters will also be used on the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle that will replace the Atlas V.[22] The first Atlas V launch with GEM 63 boosters happened on 13 November 2020.[23]

Human-rating certificationEdit

Proposals and design work to human-rate the Atlas V began as early as 2006, with ULA's parent company Lockheed Martin reporting an agreement with Bigelow Aerospace that was intended to lead to commercial private trips to low Earth orbit (LEO).[24]

Human-rating design and simulation work began in earnest in 2010, with the award of US$6.7 million in the first phase of the NASA Commercial Crew Program (CCP) to develop an Emergency Detection System (EDS).[25]

As of February 2011, ULA had received an extension to April 2011 from NASA and was finishing up work on the EDS.[26]

NASA solicited proposals for CCP phase 2 in October 2010, and ULA proposed to complete design work on the EDS. At the time, NASA's goal was to get astronauts to orbit by 2015. Then-ULA President and CEO Michael Gass stated that a schedule acceleration to 2014 was possible if funded.[27] Other than the addition of the Emergency Detection System, no major changes were expected to the Atlas V rocket, but ground infrastructure modifications were planned. The most likely candidate for the human-rating was the N02 configuration, with no fairing, no solid rocket boosters, and dual RL10 engines on the Centaur upper stage.[27]

On 18 July 2011, NASA and ULA announced an agreement on the possibility of certifying the Atlas V to NASA's standards for human spaceflight.[28] ULA agreed to provide NASA with data on the Atlas V, while NASA would provide ULA with draft human certification requirements.[28] In 2011, the human-rated Atlas V was also still under consideration to carry spaceflight participants to the proposed Bigelow Commercial Space Station.[29]

In 2011, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) picked the Atlas V to be the booster for its still-under-development Dream Chaser crewed spaceplane.[30] The Dream Chaser was intended to launch on an Atlas V, fly a crew to the ISS, and landing horizontally following a lifting-body reentry.[30] However, in late 2014 NASA did not select the Dream Chaser to be one of the two vehicles selected under the Commercial Crew competition.

On 4 August 2011, Boeing announced that it would use the Atlas V as the initial launch vehicle for its CST-100 crew capsule. CST-100 will take NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and was also intended to service the proposed Bigelow Commercial Space Station.[31][32] A three-flight test program was projected to be completed by 2015, certifying the Atlas V/CST-100 combination for human spaceflight operations.[32] The first flight was expected to include an Atlas V rocket integrated with an uncrewed CST-100 capsule,[31] the second flight an in-flight launch abort system demonstration in the middle of that year,[32] and the third flight a crewed mission carrying two Boeing test-pilot astronauts into LEO and returning them safely at the end of 2015.[32] These plans did not materialize.

In 2014, NASA selected the Boeing CST-100 space capsule as part of the CCD program after extensive delays. Atlas V is the launch vehicle of the CST-100. The first launch of an uncrewed CST-100 capsule, Boeing OFT, occurred atop a human-rated Atlas V on the morning of 20 December 2019; the mission failed to meet goals due to a spacecraft failure, though the Atlas V launcher performed well.[33][34] In 2022, an Atlas V launched a Starliner capsule for the second time, ending with mission success.[35][36]

Project KuiperEdit

Amazon has selected the Atlas V to launch satellites for Project Kuiper. Project Kuiper will offer a high-speed satellite internet constellation service. The contract signed with Amazon is for nine launches. Project Kuiper aims to put thousands of satellites into orbit. ULA is Amazon's first launch provider.[37]

VersionsEdit

 
Atlas V family with asymmetric SRBs. The HLV was not developed.
 
Atlas V 401

Each Atlas V booster configuration has a three-digit designation. The first digit shows the diameter (in meters) of the payload fairing and has a value of "4" or "5" for fairing launches and "N" for crew capsule launches (as no payload fairing is used when a crew capsule is launched). The second digit indicates the number of solid rocket boosters (SRBs) attached to the base of the launch vehicle and can range from "0" through "3" with the 4 m (13 ft) fairing, and "0" through "5" with the 5 m (16 ft) fairing. As seen in the first image, all SRB layouts are asymmetrical. The third digit represents the number of engines on the Centaur stage, either "1" or "2".

For example, an Atlas V 551 has a 5-meter fairing, 5 SRBs, and 1 Centaur engine, whereas an Atlas V 431 has a 4-meter fairing, 3 SRBs, and 1 Centaur engine.[38] The Atlas V N22 with no fairing, two SRBs, and 2 Centaur engines was first launched in 2019. The flight carried the Starliner vehicle for its first orbital test flight.

As of June 2015, all versions of the Atlas V, its design and production rights, and intellectual property rights are owned by ULA and Lockheed Martin.[39]

CapabilitiesEdit

List date: 8 August 2019 [40] Mass to LEO numbers are at an inclination of 28.5°.

Upper stages
Launch system status
  Active
  Retired
  Never launched; not planned
Version Fairing CCBs SRBs Upper stage Payload to LEO, kg Payload to GTO, kg Launches to date Base price
401 4 m 1 – SEC 9,797 4,750 [41] 41 US$109 million [1]
402 4 m 1 – DEC 12,500 [42] – 0 –
411 4 m 1 1 SEC 12,150 [41] 5,950 6 US$115 million [1]
412 4 m 1 1 DEC – – 0 –
421 4 m 1 2 SEC 14,067 [41] 6,890 9 US$123 million [1]
422 4 m 1 2 DEC – – 0 –
431 4 m 1 3 SEC 15,718 [41] 7,700 3 US$130 million [1]
501 5.4 m 1 – SEC 8,123 [41] 3,775 7 US$120 million [1]
502 5.4 m 1 – DEC – – 0 –
511 5.4 m 1 1 SEC 10,986[41] 5,250 1 US$130 million [1]
512 5.4 m 1 1 DEC – – 0 –
521 5.4 m 1 2 SEC 13,490 [41] 6,475 2 US$135 million [1]
522 5.4 m 1 2 DEC – – 0 –
531 5.4 m 1 3 SEC 15,575 [41] 7,475 5 US$140 million [1]
532 5.4 m 1 3 DEC – – 0 –
541 5.4 m 1 4 SEC 17,443 [41] 8,290 9 US$145 million [1]
542 5.4 m 1 4 DEC – – 0 –
551 5.4 m 1 5 SEC 18,814 [41] 8,900 12 US$153 million [1]
552 5.4 m 1 5 DEC 20,520 [42] – 0 –
Heavy (HLV / 5H1) 5.4 m 3 – SEC – – 0 –
Heavy (HLV DEC / 5H2) 5.4 m 3 – DEC 29,400 – 0 –
N22 (for CST-100 Starliner) [43] None 1 2 DEC ~13,000 [44]
(to ISS) 		– 2 –

Launch costEdit

Before 2016, pricing information for Atlas V launches was limited. In 2010, NASA contracted with ULA to launch the MAVEN mission on an Atlas V 401 for approximately US$187 million.[45] The 2013 cost of this configuration for the U.S. Air Force under their block buy of 36 launch vehicles was US$164 million.[46] In 2015, the TDRS-M launch on an Atlas 401 cost NASA US$132.4 million.[47]

Starting in 2016, ULA provided pricing for the Atlas V through its RocketBuilder website, advertising a base price for each launch vehicle configuration, which ranges from US$109 million for the 401 up to US$153 million for the 551.[1] Each additional SRB adds an average of US$6.8 million to the cost of the launch vehicle. Customers can also choose to purchase larger payload fairings or additional launch service options. NASA and Air Force launch costs are often higher than equivalent commercial missions due to additional government accounting, analysis, processing, and mission assurance requirements, which can add US$30–80 million to the cost of a launch.[48]

In 2013, launch costs for commercial satellites to GTO averaged about US$100 million, significantly lower than historic Atlas V pricing.[49] However, in recent years[clarification needed] the price of an Atlas V [401] has dropped from approximately US$180 million to US$109 million,[citation needed] in large part due to competitive pressure that emerged in the launch services marketplace during the early 2010s. ULA CEO Tory Bruno stated in 2016 that ULA needs at least two commercial missions each year in order to stay profitable going forward.[50] ULA is not attempting to win these missions on purely lowest purchase price, stating that it "would rather be the best value provider".[51] In 2016, ULA suggested that customers would have much lower insurance and delay costs because of the high Atlas V reliability and schedule certainty, making overall customer costs close to that of using competitors like the SpaceX Falcon 9.[52]

Historically proposed versionsEdit

In 2006, ULA offered an Atlas V Heavy option that would use three Common Core Booster (CCB) stages strapped together to lift a 29,400 kg (64,800 lb) payload to low Earth orbit.[53] ULA stated at the time that 95% of the hardware required for the Atlas V Heavy has already been flown on the Atlas V single-core vehicles.[9] The lifting capability of the proposed launch vehicle was to be roughly equivalent to the Delta IV Heavy,[9] which uses RS-68 engines developed and produced domestically by Aerojet Rocketdyne.

A 2006 report, prepared by the RAND Corporation for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, stated that Lockheed Martin had decided not to develop an Atlas V heavy-lift vehicle (HLV).[54] The report recommended for the U.S. Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to "determine the necessity of an EELV heavy-lift variant, including development of an Atlas V Heavy", and to "resolve the RD-180 issue, including coproduction, stockpile, or United States development of an RD-180 replacement".[55]

In 2010, ULA stated that the Atlas V Heavy variant could be available to customers 30 months from the date of order.[9]

Atlas V PH2

In late 2006, the Atlas V program gained access to the tooling and processes for 5-meter-diameter stages used on Delta IV when Boeing and Lockheed Martin space operations were merged into the United Launch Alliance. This led to a proposal to combine the 5-meter-diameter Delta IV tankage production processes with dual RD-180 engines, resulting in the Atlas Phase 2.

An Atlas V PH2-Heavy consisting of three 5-meter stages in parallel with six RD-180s was considered in the Augustine Report as a possible heavy lifter for use in future space missions, as well as the Shuttle-derived Ares V and Ares V Lite.[56] If built, the Atlas PH2-Heavy was projected to be able to launch a payload mass of approximately 70 t (69 long tons; 77 short tons) into an orbit of 28.5° inclination.[56]

Booster for GX rocket

The Atlas V Common Core Booster was to have been used as the first stage of the joint US-Japanese GX rocket, which was scheduled to make its first flight in 2012.[57] GX launches would have been from the Atlas V launch complex at Vandenberg Air Force Base, SLC-3E. However, the Japanese government decided to cancel the GX project in December 2009.[58]

Out-licensing rejected by ULA

In May 2015, a consortium of companies, including Aerojet and Dynetics, sought to license the production or manufacturing rights to the Atlas V using the AR1 engine in place of the RD-180. The proposal was rejected by ULA.[59]

Atlas V launchesEdit

Flight No. Date and time (UTC) Type Serial no. Launch site Payload Type of payload Orbit Outcome Remarks
1 21 August 2002
22:05 		401 AV-001 CCAFS, SLC-41 Hot Bird 6 Commercial communications satellite (comsat) GTO Success [60] First Atlas V launch
2 13 May 2003
22:10 		401 AV-002 CCAFS, SLC-41 Hellas Sat 2 Commercial comsat GTO Success [61] First satellite for Greece and Cyprus
3 17 July 2003
23:45 		521 AV-003 CCAFS, SLC-41 Rainbow-1 Commercial comsat GTO Success [62] First Atlas V 500 launch
First Atlas V launch with SRBs
4 17 December 2004
12:07 		521 AV-005 CCAFS, SLC-41 AMC-16 Commercial comsat GTO Success [63] Last flight of the 521 configuration
5 11 March 2005
21:42 		431 AV-004 CCAFS, SLC-41 Inmarsat-4 F1 Commercial comsat GTO Success [64] First Atlas V 400 launch with SRBs
6 12 August 2005
11:43 		401 AV-007 CCAFS, SLC-41 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Mars orbiter Heliocentric to
Areocentric 		Success [65] First Atlas V launch for NASA
7 19 January 2006
19:00 		551 AV-010 CCAFS, SLC-41 New Horizons Pluto and Kuiper Belt probe Hyperbolic Success [66] Boeing Star 48B third stage used, first Atlas V launch with a third stage.
8 20 April 2006
20:27 		411 AV-008 CCAFS, SLC-41 Astra 1KR Commercial comsat GTO Success [67]
9 9 March 2007
03:10 		401 AV-013 CCAFS, SLC-41 Space Test Program-1 6 military research satellites LEO Success [68]
10 15 June 2007
15:12 		401 AV-009 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-194 (NROL-30/NOSS-4-3A and -4-3B) Two NRO Reconnaissance satellites LEO Success [69] First Atlas V flight for the National Reconnaissance Office [70] Atlas did not achieve the intended orbit, but payload compensated for shortfall. NRO declared the mission a success.[69][71]
11 11 October 2007
00:22 		421 AV-011 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-195 (WGS-1) Military comsat GTO Success [72] Valve replacement delayed launch.[73]
12 10 December 2007
22:05 		401 AV-015 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-198 (NROL-24) NRO reconnaissance satellite Molniya Success [74]
13 13 March 2008
10:02 		411 AV-006 VAFB,
SLC-3E 		USA-200 (NROL-28) NRO reconnaissance satellite Molniya Success [75] First Atlas V launch from Vandenberg.[75]
14 14 April 2008
20:12 		421 AV-014 CCAFS, SLC-41 ICO G1 Commercial comsat GTO Success [76]
15 4 April 2009
00:31 		421 AV-016 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-204 (WGS-2) Military comsat GTO Success [77]
16 18 June 2009
21:32 		401 AV-020 CCAFS, SLC-41 LRO/LCROSS Lunar exploration HEO to Lunar Success [78] First Centaur stage to impact on the Moon.
17 8 September 2009
21:35 		401 AV-018 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-207 (Palladium At Night - PAN) Military comsat [79] GTO[79] Success [80] The Centaur upper stage fragmented in orbit about 24 March 2019.[81]
18 18 October 2009
16:12 		401 AV-017 VAFB,
SLC-3E 		USA-210 (DMSP 5D3-F18) Military weather satellite LEO Success [82]
19 23 November 2009
06:55 		431 AV-024 CCAFS, SLC-41 Intelsat 14 Commercial comsat GTO Success [83] LMCLS launch
20 11 February 2010
15:23 		401 AV-021 CCAFS, SLC-41 SDO Solar telescope GTO Success [84]
21 22 April 2010
23:52 		501 AV-012 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-212 (X-37B OTV-1) Military orbital test vehicle LEO Success [85] A piece of the external fairing did not break up on impact, but washed up on Hilton Head Island.[86]
22 14 August 2010
11:07 		531 AV-019 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-214 (AEHF-1) Military comsat GTO Success [87]
23 September 21, 2010
04:03 		501 AV-025 VAFB, SLC-3E USA-215 (NROL-41) NRO reconnaissance satellite LEO Success [88]
24 5 March 2011
22:46 		501 AV-026 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-226 (X-37B OTV-2) Military orbital test vehicle LEO Success [89]
25 15 April 2011
04:24 		411 AV-027 VAFB, SLC-3E USA-229 (NROL-34) NRO reconnaissance satellite LEO Success [90]
26 7 May 2011
18:10 		401 AV-022 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-230 (SBIRS GEO-1) Missile Warning satellite GTO Success [91]
27 5 August 2011
16:25 		551 AV-029 CCAFS, SLC-41 Juno Jupiter orbiter Hyperbolic to
Jovicentric 		Success [92]
28 26 November 2011
15:02 		541 AV-028 CCAFS, SLC-41 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mars rover Hyperbolic
(Mars landing) 		Success [93] First launch of the 541 configuation [94]
Centaur entered orbit around the Sun.[95]
29 24 February 2012
22:15 		551 AV-030 CCAFS, SLC-41 MUOS-1 Military comsat GTO Success [96]
  • 200th Centaur launch [97]
  • Heaviest payload launched by an Atlas until launch of MUOS-2
30 4 May 2012
18:42 		531 AV-031 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-235 (AEHF-2) Military comsat GTO Success[98]
31 20 June 2012
12:28 		401 AV-023 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-236 (NROL-38) NRO reconnaissance satellite GTO Success [99] 50th EELV launch
32 30 August 2012
08:05 		401 AV-032 CCAFS, SLC-41 Van Allen Probes (RBSP) Van Allen Belts exploration HEO Success [100]
33 13 September 2012
21:39 		401 AV-033 VAFB, SLC-3E USA-238 (NROL-36) NRO reconnaissance satellites LEO Success [101]
34 11 December 2012
18:03 		501 AV-034 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-240 (X-37B OTV-3) Military orbital test vehicle LEO Success [102]
35 31 January 2013
01:48 		401 AV-036 CCAFS, SLC-41 TDRS-K (TDRS-11) Data relay satellite GTO Success [103]
36 11 February 2013
18:02 		401 AV-035 VAFB, SLC-3E Landsat 8 Earth Observation satellite LEO Success[104] First West Coast Atlas V Launch for NASA
37 March 19, 2013
21:21 		401 AV-037 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-241 (SBIRS GEO 2) Missile Warning satellite GTO Success [105]
38 May 15, 2013
21:38 		401 AV-039 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-242 (GPS IIF-4) Navigation satellite MEO Success [106] First GPS satellite launched by an Atlas V
39 19 July 2013
13:00 		551 AV-040 CCAFS, SLC-41 MUOS-2 Military comsat GTO Success [107]
40 September 18, 2013
08:10 		531 AV-041 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-246 (AEHF-3) Military comsat GTO Success [108]
41 November 18, 2013
18:28 		401 AV-038 CCAFS, SLC-41 MAVEN Mars orbiter Hyperbolic to
Areocentric 		Success [109]
42 6 December 2013
07:14:30 		501 AV-042 VAFB, SLC-3E USA-247 (NROL-39) NRO reconnaissance satellite Low Earth orbit Success [110]
43 January 24, 2014
02:33 		401 AV-043 CCAFS, SLC-41 TDRS-L (TDRS-12) Data relay satellite GTO Success[111]
44 April 3, 2014
14:46 		401 AV-044 VAFB, SLC-3E USA-249 (DMSP-5D3 F19) Military weather satellite Low Earth orbit Success [112] 50th RD-180 launch
45 April 10, 2014
17:45 		541 AV-045 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-250 (NROL-67) NRO reconnaissance satellite GTO Success[113]
46 May 22, 2014
13:09 		401 AV-046 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-252 (NROL-33) NRO reconnaissance satellite GTO Success[114]
47 August 2, 2014
03:23 		401 AV-048 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-256 (GPS IIF-7) Navigation satellite MEO Success[115]
48 August 13, 2014
18:30 		401 AV-047 VAFB, SLC-3E WorldView-3 Earth imaging satellite Low Earth orbit Success [116]
49 September 17, 2014
00:10 		401 AV-049 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-257 (CLIO) Military comsat[117] GTO[117] Success[118] The Centaur upper stage fragmented on 31 August 2018[119]
50 October 29, 2014
17:21 		401 AV-050 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-258 (GPS IIF-8) Navigation satellite MEO Success[120] 50th Atlas V launch
51 December 13, 2014
03:19 		541 AV-051 VAFB, SLC-3E USA-259 (NROL-35) NRO reconnaissance satellite Molniya Success [121] First use of the RL-10C engine on the Centaur stage
52 January 21, 2015
01:04 		551 AV-052 CCAFS, SLC-41 MUOS-3 Military comsat GTO Success[122]
53 March 13, 2015
02:44 		421 AV-053 CCAFS, SLC-41 MMS Magnetosphere research satellites HEO Success[123]
54 May 20, 2015
15:05 		501 AV-054 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-261 (X-37B OTV-4/AFSPC-5) Military orbital test vehicle LEO Success[124]
55 July 15, 2015
15:36 		401 AV-055 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA-262 (GPS IIF-10) Navigation satellite MEO Success[125]
56 September 2, 2015
10:18 		551 AV-056 CCAFS, SLC-41 MUOS-4 Military comsat GTO Success[126]
57 October 2, 2015
10:28 		421 AV-059 CCAFS, SLC-41 Morelos-3 Comsat GTO Success[127]
58 October 8, 2015
12:49 		401 AV-058 VAFB SLC-3E USA-264 (NROL-55) NRO reconnaissance satellites LEO Success[128]
59 October 31, 2015
16:13 		401 AV-060 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-265 (GPS IIF-11) Navigation satellite MEO Success[129]
60 December 6, 2015
21:44 		401 AV-061 CCAFS SLC-41 Cygnus CRS OA-4 ISS logistics spacecraft LEO Success[130] First Atlas rocket used to directly support the ISS program
61 February 5, 2016
13:38 		401 AV-057 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-266 (GPS IIF-12) Navigation satellite MEO Success[131]
62 March 23, 2016
03:05 		401 AV-064 CCAFS SLC-41 Cygnus CRS OA-6 ISS logistics spacecraft LEO Success[132] First stage shut down early but did not affect mission outcome
63 June 24, 2016
14:30 		551 AV-063 CCAFS SLC-41 MUOS-5 Military comsat GTO Success[133]
64 July 28, 2016
12:37 		421 AV-065 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-267 (NROL-61) NRO reconnaissance satellite GTO Success[134]
65 September 8, 2016
23:05 		411 AV-067 CCAFS SLC-41 OSIRIS-REx Asteroid sample return Heliocentric Success[135]
66 November 11, 2016
18:30 		401 AV-062 VAFB SLC-3E WorldView-4 (GeoEye-2) + 7 NRO cubesats Earth Imaging, cubesats SSO Success[136] LMCLS launch
67 November 19, 2016
23:42 		541 AV-069 CCAFS SLC-41 GOES-R (GOES-16) Meteorology GTO Success[137] 100th EELV launch
68 December 18, 2016
19:13 		431 AV-071 CCAFS SLC-41 EchoStar 19 (Jupiter 2) Commercial comsat GTO Success[138] LMCLS launch

Last flight of the 431 configuration

69 January 21, 2017
00:42 		401 AV-066 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-273 (SBIRS GEO-3) Missile Warning satellite GTO Success[139]
70 March 1, 2017
17:49 		401 AV-068 VAFB SLC-3E USA-274 (NROL-79) NRO Reconnaissance Satellite LEO Success[140]
71 April 18, 2017
15:11 		401 AV-070 CCAFS SLC-41 Cygnus CRS OA-7 ISS logistics spacecraft LEO Success[141]
72 August 18, 2017
12:29 		401 AV-074 CCAFS SLC-41 TDRS-M (TDRS-13) Data relay satellite GTO Success[142]
73 September 24, 2017
05:49 		541 AV-072 VAFB SLC-3E USA-278 (NROL-42) NRO Reconnaissance Satellite Molniya Success[143]
74 October 15, 2017
07:28 		421 AV-075 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-279 (NROL-52) NRO Reconnaissance satellite GTO Success[144]
75 January 20, 2018
00:48 		411 AV-076 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-282 (SBIRS GEO-4) Missile Warning satellite GTO Success[145]
76 March 1, 2018
22:02 		541 AV-077 CCAFS SLC-41 GOES-S (GOES-17) Meteorology GTO Success[146] Expended the 100th AJ-60 SRB
77 April 14, 2018
23:13 		551 AV-079 CCAFS SLC-41 AFSPC-11 Military comsat GEO Success[147]
78 May 5, 2018
11:05 		401 AV-078 VAFB SLC-3E InSight MarCO Mars lander; 2 CubeSats Hyperbolic
(Mars landing) 		Success[148] First interplanetary mission from VAFB; first interplanetary CubeSats.
79 October 17, 2018,
04:15 		551 AV-073 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-288 (AEHF-4) Military comsat GTO Success[149][150] 250th Centaur. The Centaur upper stage fragmented in orbit on 6 Apr 2019.[151][152]
80 August 8, 2019,
10:13 		551 AV-083 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-292 (AEHF-5) Military comsat GTO Success[153]
81 December 20, 2019,
11:36 		N22 AV-080 CCAFS SLC-41 Starliner Boeing OFT Uncrewed orbital test flight LEO (ISS) Success First flight of a Dual-Engine Centaur on Atlas V. First orbital test flight of Starliner. Planned to visit ISS, but an anomaly with the Starliner vehicle left the spacecraft in too low an orbit to do so. The Atlas V rocket performed as expected and thus the mission is listed as successful here.[154]
82 February 10, 2020,
04:03 		411 AV-087 CCAFS SLC-41 Solar Orbiter Solar heliophysics orbiter Heliocentric Success[155] Last Flight of the 411 configuration
83 March 26, 2020,
20:18 		551 AV-086 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-298 (AEHF-6) Military comsat GTO Success[156] First ever flight for the U.S. Space Force. 500th flight of the RL10 engine
84 May 17, 2020,
13:14 		501 AV-081 CCAFS SLC-41 USA-299 (USSF-7 (X-37B OTV-6, Falcon-Sat-8)) X-37 military spaceplane; USAFA sat. LEO Success[157] Sixth flight of X-37B; FalconSat-8
85 July 30, 2020,
11:50 		541 AV-088 CCAFS SLC-41 Mars 2020 Mars rover Heliocentric Success[158] Launch of the Perseverance rover
86 November 13, 2020,
22:32 		531 AV-090 CCAFS SLC-41 USA 310
(NROL-101) 		NRO Reconnaissance Satellite LEO Success[159] First usage of new GEM 63 solid rocket boosters.
87 18 May 2021,
17:37 		421 AV-091 CCAFS, SLC-41 USA 315
(SBIRS-GEO 5) 		Missile warning satellite GTO Success [160] First usage of RL-10C-1-1 upper stage engine. Mission was successful, but unexpected vibration was observed in the new engine. Further use of this engine variant is on hold pending better understanding.[161]
88 27 September 2021
18:12 		401 AV-092 VSFB, SLC-3E Landsat 9 Earth Observation satellite LEO Success [162]
89 16 October 2021
09:34 		401 AV-096 CCAFS, SLC-41 Lucy Space probe Heliocentric Success [163]
90 7 December 2021
10:19 		551 AV-093 CCAFS, SLC-41 STP-3 Technology demonstration GEO Success [164] Longest flight ever by an Atlas V Rocket
91 21 January 2022
19:00 		511 AV-084 CCSFS, SLC-41 USSF-8
(GSSAP 5 & 6) 		Space Surveillance GEO Success[165] First and only planned flight of the 511 configuration
92 1 March 2022
21:38 		541 AV-095 CCSFS, SLC-41 GOES-T Meteorology GEO Success[166]
93 19 May 2022
22:54 		N22 AV-082 CCSFS, SLC-41 Boe OFT-2 Uncrewed orbital test flight LEO (ISS) Success[167]
94 1 July 2022
23:15 		541 AV-094 CCSFS, SLC-41 USSF-12 (WFOV) Early warning GEO Success[168] Last flight of the 541 configuration

100th flight of an RD-180 engine

95 4 August 2022
10:29 		421 AV-097 CCSFS, SLC-41 USA-336 (SBIRS GEO-6) Missile warning satellite GEO Success[169] Last flight of the 421 configuration
96 4 October 2022 21:36 531 AV-098 CCSFS, SLC-41 SES-20 & SES-21 Communication Satellites GEO Success[170] Last flight of the 531 configuration
97 10 November 2022 09:49 401 AV-099 VSFB, SLC-3E JPSS-2 / LOFTID Environmental Satellites SSO Success[171] Last flight of the 401 configuration and last Atlas V launch from VSFB. Final flight of an Atlas V with a 4-meter fairing. 100th use of Single Engine Centaur.

ULA has stopped selling the Atlas V. It will fly 19 more launches.[172]

For planned launches, see List of Atlas launches (2020–2029).

Notable missionsEdit

The first payload, the Hot Bird 6 communications satellite, was launched to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) on 21 August 2002 by an Atlas V 401.[173]

On 12 August 2005, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched aboard an Atlas V 401 launch vehicle from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). The Centaur upper stage of the launch vehicle completed its burns over a 56-minute period and placed MRO into an interplanetary transfer orbit towards Mars.[65]

On 19 January 2006, New Horizons was launched by a Lockheed Martin Atlas V 551 rocket. A third stage was added to increase the heliocentric (escape) speed. This was the first launch of the Atlas V 551 configuration with five solid rocket boosters, and the first Atlas V with a third stage.[174]

On 6 December 2015, Atlas V lifted its heaviest payload to date into orbit – a 16,517 lb (7,492 kg) Cygnus resupply craft.[175]

On 8 September 2016, the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission was launched on an Atlas V 411 launch vehicle. It arrived at the asteroid Bennu in December 2018 and departed back to Earth in May 2021 to arrive September 2022 at with a sample ranging from 60 grams to 2 kilograms in 2023.[176]

The first four Boeing X-37B spaceplane missions were successfully launched with the Atlas V. The X-37B, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), is a reusable robotic spacecraft operated by USAF that can autonomously conduct landings from orbit to a runway.[177] X-37B flights are launched on Atlas V's from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The first Vandenberg Air Force Base landing at the Space Shuttle 15,000 ft (4,600 m) runway occurred in December 2010.[178] Landings occur at both Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral depending on mission requirements.[177]

On 20 December 2019, the first Starliner crew capsule was launched in Boe-OFT un-crewed test flight. The Atlas V launch vehicle performed flawlessly but an anomaly with the spacecraft left it in a wrong orbit. The orbit was too low to reach the flight's destination of ISS, and the mission was subsequently cut short.

Mission success recordEdit

In its 94 launches (as of July 2022), starting with its first launch in August 2002, Atlas V has achieved a 100% mission success rate and a 98.93% vehicle success rate.[179] This is in contrast to the industry success rate of 90%–95%.[180]

The first anomalous event in the use of the Atlas V launch system occurred on 15 June 2007, when the engine in the Centaur upper stage of an Atlas V shut down early, leaving its payload – a pair of NROL-30 ocean surveillance satellites – in a lower than intended orbit. The cause of the anomaly was traced to a leaky valve, which allowed fuel to leak during the coast between the first and second burns. The resulting lack of fuel caused the second burn to terminate 4 seconds early.[181] Replacing the valve led to a delay in the next Atlas V launch.[73] However, the customer (the National Reconnaissance Office) categorized the mission as a success.[182][183]

A flight on 23 March 2016, suffered an underperformance anomaly on the first-stage burn and shut down 5 seconds early. The Centaur proceeded to boost the Orbital Cygnus payload, the heaviest on an Atlas to date, into the intended orbit by using its fuel reserves to make up for the shortfall from the first stage. This longer burn cut short a later Centaur disposal burn.[184] An investigation of the incident revealed that this anomaly was due to a fault in the main engine mixture-ratio supply valve, which restricted the flow of fuel to the engine. The investigation and subsequent examination of the valves on upcoming missions led to a delay of the next several launches.[185]

Notable payloadsEdit

Replacement with VulcanEdit

In 2014, geopolitical and U.S. political considerations because of the Russian war with Crimea led to an effort to replace the Russian-supplied RD-180 engine used on the first-stage booster of the Atlas V. Formal study contracts were issued in June 2014 to a number of U.S. rocket-engine suppliers.[186] The results of those studies led to a decision by ULA to develop the new Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle to replace the existing Atlas V and Delta IV.[187]

In September 2014, ULA announced a partnership with Blue Origin to develop the BE-4 LOX/methane engine to replace the RD-180 on a new first-stage booster. As the Atlas V core is designed around RP-1 fuel and cannot be retrofitted to use a methane-fueled engine, a new first stage is being developed. This booster will have the same first-stage tankage diameter as the Delta IV and will be powered by two 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) thrust BE-4 engines.[186][188][189] The engine was already in its third year of development by Blue Origin, and ULA expected the new stage and engine to start flying no earlier than 2019.

Vulcan was initially planned to use the same Centaur upper stage as on Atlas V, and later to upgrade to ACES, however ACES is no longer being pursued, and Centaur V will be used instead.[190] It will also use a variable number of optional solid rocket boosters, called the GEM 63XL, derived from the new solid boosters planned for Atlas V.[22]

As of 2017, the Aerojet AR1 rocket engine was under development as a backup plan for Vulcan.[191]

As of October 2022, the first Vulcan flight is planned for early 2023.[192]

RetirementEdit

In August 2021, ULA announced that they are no longer selling launches on the Atlas V and they would fulfill their 29 existing launch contracts.[8] They made a final purchase of the RD-180 motors they needed and the last of those motors were delivered in April 2021. The last launch will occur "some time in the mid-2020s".[8] As of October 2022, 20 launches remain.

Photo galleryEdit

  •  

    Core stage of an Atlas V being raised to a vertical position.

  •  

    X-37B OTV-1 (Orbital Test Vehicle) being encased in its payload fairing for its 22 April 2010, launch.

  •  

    An Atlas V 541 is moved to the launch pad.

  •  

    Atlas V 401 on launch pad

  •  

    Atlas V ignition

  •  

    An Atlas V 551 with the New Horizons probe launches from Launch Pad 41 in Cape Canaveral.

See alsoEdit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atlas V.
 
Wikinews has related news:
  • NASA launches two space probes to the moon

Comparable rockets:

NotesEdit

  1. ^ Pronounced "Atlas five". "V" is the roman numeral 5.

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "RocketBuilder". United Launch Alliance. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Atlas V". United Launch Alliance. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  3. ^ Frankle, Jared (28 July 2019). "ULA delays focused on protecting its 100 percent mission success rate". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Atlas V Solid Rocket Motor". Aerojet Rocketdyne. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Space Launch Report: Atlas 5 Data Sheet". Space Launch Report. 15 October 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b "GEM 63/GEM 63XL Fact Sheet" (PDF). northropgrumman.com. 5 April 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  7. ^ "Developing Vulcan Centaur" (PDF). 8 April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  8. ^ a b c Roulette, Joey (26 August 2021). "ULA stops selling its centerpiece Atlas V, setting path for the rocket's retirement". The Verge. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Atlas V Launch Services User's Guide" (PDF). Centennial, Colorado: United Launch Alliance. March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  10. ^ "Lockheed Martin Ready For Launch Of Intelsat 14 Spacecraft". Lockheed Martin. 11 November 2009. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011.
  11. ^ "United Launch Alliance Assumes Marketing and Sales for Atlas V from Lockheed Martin". parabolicarc.com. Parabolic Arc. 22 January 2018. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  12. ^ a b c d "Atlas V Launch Services User's Guide" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. March 2010. pp. 1-5 to 1-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2013.
  13. ^ "Atlas V Starliner OFT: By the Numbers". Archived from the original on 26 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle". March 2009. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  15. ^ Bonnie Birckenstaedt; Bernard F. Kutter; Frank Zegler (2006). "Centaur Application to Robotic and Crewed Lunar Lander Evolution" (PDF). American Institute of Physics. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2013.
  16. ^ "Atlas V 401 – Rockets". spaceflight101.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  17. ^ a b "Launcher Fairings and Structures". RUAG Space. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  18. ^ "Atlas-5 (Atlas-V)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  19. ^ "Honeywell awarded US$52 million Atlas V contract". Military & Aerospace Electronics. 30 April 2001. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Atlas V Launch Services User's Guide" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. 6 March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2012.
  21. ^ "Honeywell Provides Guidance System For Atlas V Rocket". Space-Travel.com. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  22. ^ a b Jason Rhian (23 September 2015). "ULA selects Orbital ATK's GEM 63/63 XL SRBs for Atlas V and Vulcan boosters". Spaceflight Insider. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  23. ^ "Northrop Grumman Rocket Boosters Help Successfully Launch United Launch Alliance's Atlas V". Northrop Grumman Newsroom. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  24. ^ Gaskill, Braddock (31 January 2007). "Human Rated Atlas V for Bigelow Space Station details emerge". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 14 March 2008.
  25. ^ "NASA Selects United Launch Alliance for Commercial Crew Development Program". 2 February 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  26. ^ "CCDev awardees one year later: where are they now?". NewSpace Journal. 13 February 2011. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  27. ^ a b Clark, Stephen (13 February 2011). "Safety system tested for Atlas and Delta rockets". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  28. ^ a b "NASA Begins Commercial Partnership With United Launch Alliance". NASA. 18 July 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  29. ^ Boyle, Alan (18 July 2011). "Rocket venture to work with NASA". MSNBC Cosmic Log. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  30. ^ a b Kelly, John (6 August 2011). "Atlas V rising to the occasion". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  31. ^ a b "Boeing selects Atlas V Rocket for Initial Commercial Crew Launches" (Press release). Houston: Boeing. 4 August 2011. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  32. ^ a b c d Malik, Tariq (4 August 2011). "Boeing Needs Space Pilots for Spaceship & Rocket Test Flights". SPACE.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  33. ^ Pappalardo, Joe. "Boeing's Starliner Falls Short in Big Blow to NASA's Crewed Program". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  34. ^ Sheetz, Michael (20 December 2019). "Boeing Starliner fails key NASA mission as autonomous flight system malfunctions". CNBC. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  35. ^ "Boeing Starliner capsule lifts off to space station on second orbital flight test". collectSPACE.com. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  36. ^ "Starliner concludes OFT-2 test flight with landing in New Mexico". SpaceNews. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  37. ^ Sheetz, Michael (19 April 2021). "Amazon signs with ULA for rockets to launch Jeff Bezos' Kuiper internet satellites". CNBC. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  38. ^ "Atlas V" (PDF). ULA. 2010. pp. 1–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2012.
  39. ^ Mike Gruss (19 June 2015). "Air Force Confirms ULA Position on Atlas 5 Production Rights". SpaceNews.
  40. ^ "Jonathan's Space Report Launch Vehicle Database". Jonathan McDowell. 28 October 2010. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  41. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Atlas V Mission Planner's Guide – March 2010 Archived December 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2011-11-19
  42. ^ a b "2010 U.S. Commercial Space Transportation Developments and Concepts: Vehicles, Technologies, and Spaceports" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2011.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  43. ^ Egan, Barbara [@barbegan13] (15 October 2016). "We are calling the config N22. No payload fairing with the Starliner on board" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  44. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Starliner (CST-100)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  45. ^ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Maven Mission". mars.nasa.gov. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2016.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  46. ^ "ULA Frequently Asked Questions – Launch Costs". Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  47. ^ Northon, Karen (30 October 2015). "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for TDRS Satellite". nasa.gov. Retrieved 7 May 2016.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  48. ^ Grush, Loren (30 November 2016). "United Launch Alliance unveils website that lets you price out a rocket "like building a car"". The Verge. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  49. ^ Stephen Clark (24 November 2013). "Sizing up America's place in the global launch industry". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  50. ^ Thompson, Loren. "CEO Tory Bruno Explains How United Launch Alliance Will Stay Ahead Of Competitors". Forbes. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  51. ^ "The Great Rocket Race". Fortune. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  52. ^ William Harwood (30 November 2016). "ULA unveils 'RocketBuilder' website". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  53. ^ "Atlas V Product Card". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014.
  54. ^ National Security Space Launch Report (PDF). RAND Corporation. 2006. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2012.
  55. ^ National Security Space Launch Report (PDF). RAND Corporation. 2006. p. xxi. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2012.
  56. ^ a b HSF Final Report: Seeking a Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of a Great Nation Archived 2009-11-22 at the Wayback Machine October 2009 Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee graphic on p. 64, retrieved 2011-02-07.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  57. ^ "Development of the GX Launch Vehicle, New Medium Class Launch Vehicle of Japan" (PDF). IHI Engineering Review. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  58. ^ "Japan scraps GX rocket development project". iStockAnalyst. 16 December 2009. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
  59. ^ Mike Gruss (12 May 2015). "Aerojet on Team Seeking Atlas 5 Production Rights". SpaceNews.
  60. ^ "Inaugural Atlas V Scores Success for ILS, Lockheed Martin". International Launch Services. 21 August 2002. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  61. ^ "ILS Launches Hellas-Sat on Atlas V". International Launch Services. 13 May 2003. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  62. ^ "ILS Launches Rainbow 1 Satellite". International Launch Services. 17 July 2003. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  63. ^ "ILS Launches AMC-16; Wraps Up Year With 10 Mission Successes". International Launch Services. 17 December 2004. Archived from the original on 19 December 2010.
  64. ^ "ILS Atlas V Vehicle Lifts Massive Satellite For Inmarsat". International Launch Services. 11 March 2005. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  65. ^ a b "NASA's Multipurpose Mars Mission Successfully Launched". NASA. 12 August 2005. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2011.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  66. ^ "NASA's Pluto Mission Launched Toward New Horizons". NASA. 19 January 2006. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2011.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  67. ^ "ILS Launches ASTRA 1KR Satellite". International Launch Services. 20 April 2006. Archived from the original on 19 December 2010.
  68. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches First USAF Atlas V". United Launch Alliance. 8 March 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  69. ^ a b "Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. 16 August 2007. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  70. ^ "NRO satellite successfully launched aboard Atlas V" (PDF). NRO. 15 June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  71. ^ "NRO satellite successfully launched aboard Atlas V" (PDF). www.NRO.gov. 15 June 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  72. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Successfully Launches AF WGS Satellite". United Launch Alliance. 10 October 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  73. ^ a b Peterson, Patrick (2 September 2007). "Faulty valve pushes back Atlas 5 launch". Florida Today. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012.
  74. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Successfully Launches NRO Satellite". United Launch Alliance. 10 December 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  75. ^ a b "United Launch Alliance Inaugural Atlas V West Coast Launch a Success". United Launch Alliance. 13 March 2008. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  76. ^ "United Launch Alliance Launches Heaviest Commercial Satellite for Atlas V". United Launch Alliance. 14 April 2008. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  77. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Successfully Launches AF WGS-2 Satellite". United Launch Alliance. 3 April 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  78. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Moon Mission for NASA". United Launch Alliance. 18 June 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  79. ^ a b "Clues about mystery payload emerge soon after launch". Spaceflight Now. 8 September 2009. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  80. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches PAN Satellite". United Launch Alliance. 8 September 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  81. ^ "Rocket Stage Launched 10 Years Ago Disintegrates into Trail of Space Junk (Video)". SPACE.com. 17 April 2019.
  82. ^ "United Launch Alliance 600th Atlas Mission Successfully Launches DMSP F18". United Launch Alliance. 18 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  83. ^ "United Launch Alliance Launches 4th 2009 Commercial Mission: Intelsat 14". United Launch Alliance. 23 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  84. ^ "United Launch Alliance Launches Solar Observatory Mission for NASA". United Launch Alliance. 11 February 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  85. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches OTV Mission". United Launch Alliance. 22 April 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  86. ^ Experts weigh in on rocket debris found on Hilton Head Wistv.com Retrieved on 2011-11-19 Archived March 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  87. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches First AEHF Mission". United Launch Alliance. 14 August 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  88. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches National Defense Mission". United Launch Alliance. 20 September 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  89. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Second OTV Mission". United Launch Alliance. 5 March 2011. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  90. ^ "ULA Successfully Launches Fifth NRO Mission in Seven Months". United Launch Alliance. 14 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  91. ^ "United Launch Alliance Marks 50th Successful Launch by delivering the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Satellite to orbit for the U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  92. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Juno Spacecraft on Five-Year Journey to study Jupiter". United Launch Alliance. 5 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  93. ^ Harwood, William (26 November 2011). "Mars Science Laboratory begins cruise to red planet". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  94. ^ "Challenge of Getting to Mars". Chapter 4: Launching Curiosity. NASA JPL. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2016.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  95. ^ Rik Myslewski (26 November 2011). "US Martian nuke-truck launches without a hitch, but..." The Register. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012.
  96. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket, with 200th Centaur, Successfully Launches Mobile User Objective System-1 Mission". United Launch Alliance. 24 February 2012. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  97. ^ Justin Ray (9 February 2012). "Landmark launch in rocketry: Centaur set for Flight 200". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  98. ^ Graham, William; Bergin, Chris (16 November 2012). "AEHF-2 handed over to the USAF after completing on-orbit testing". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  99. ^ [1] Archived December 20, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  100. ^ United Launch Alliance Archived December 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  101. ^ Graham, William (13 September 2012). "ULA Atlas V finally launches with NROL-36". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  102. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Third X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 11 December 2012. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  103. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite". United Launch Alliance. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  104. ^ Justin Ray. "Atlas 5 rocket launch continues legacy of Landsat". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 21 April 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  105. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Second Space-Based Infrared System SBIRS Satellite to Orbit for the U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  106. ^ "ULA Launches 70th Successful Mission in 77 Months with the Launch of the GPS IIF-4 Satellite for the Air Force". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  107. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket Successfully Launches Mobile User Objective System-2 Mission for U.S. Navy". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  108. ^ "United Launch Alliance Marks 75th Successful Launch by Delivering the Advanced Extremely High Frequency-3 Satellite to Orbit for the U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  109. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket Successfully Launches MAVEN mission on Journey to the Red Planet". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  110. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket Successfully Launches Payload for the National Reconnaissance Office". ULA. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  111. ^ "United Launch Alliance successfully launches NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite payload". United Launch Alliance. 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  112. ^ "United Launch Alliance Marks 80th Successful Launch by Delivering Air Force's Weather Satellite to Orbit". United Launch Alliance. 3 April 2014. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013.
  113. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Second Mission in Just Seven Days". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  114. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Four Missions in Just Seven Weeks". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  115. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Two Rockets in Just Four Days". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  116. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Launches WorldView-3 Satellite for DigitalGlobe". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  117. ^ a b "ULA Atlas V successfully launches secretive CLIO mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. 17 September 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  118. ^ "United Launch Alliance Launches Its 60th Mission from Cape Canaveral". United Launch Alliance. 17 September 2014. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  119. ^ "Orbital Debris Quarterly News" (PDF). NASA.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  120. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches 50th Atlas V Rocket". United Launch Alliance. 29 October 2014. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  121. ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Successfully Launches Payload for the National Reconnaissance Office". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  122. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches the U.S. Navy's Mobile User Objective System-3". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  123. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Solar Probes to Study Space Weather for NASA". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  124. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  125. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Global Positioning Satellite for the U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  126. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches the U.S. Navy's Mobile User Objective System-4". United Launch Alliance. 2 September 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  127. ^ "United Launch Alliance Reaches 100 Successful Missions with Morelos-3 Satellite". United Launch Alliance. 2 October 2015. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  128. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Payload for the National Reconnaissance Office". United Launch Alliance. 8 October 2015. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  129. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches GPS IIF-11 Satellite for U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 31 October 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  130. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches OA-4 Cygnus to International Space Station". United Launch Alliance. 6 December 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  131. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches GPS IIF-12 Satellite for U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 5 February 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  132. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches 7,745 Pounds of Cargo to International Space Station". United Launch Alliance. 22 March 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  133. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches MUOS-5 Satellite for the U.S Air Force and U.S. Navy". United Launch Alliance. 24 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  134. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-61 Payload for the National Reconnaissance Office". United Launch Alliance. 28 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  135. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft for NASA". United Launch Alliance. 8 September 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  136. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches WorldView-4 for DigitalGlobe". United Launch Alliance. 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  137. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches GOES-R Satellite for NASA and NOAA". United Launch Alliance. 19 November 2016. Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  138. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches EchoStar XIX Satellite". United Launch Alliance. 18 December 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  139. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches SBIRS GEO Flight 3 Satellite to Orbit for U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  140. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-79 Payload for the National Reconnaissance Office". Ulalaunch.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  141. ^ Klotz, Irene (18 April 2017). "Atlas V Rocket Launches Private Cygnus Cargo Ship to Space Station". SPACE.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  142. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NASA's TDRS-M Satellite". Ulalaunch.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  143. ^ "United+Launch+Alliance+Successfully+Launches+NROL-42+Mission+for+the+National+Reconnaissance+Office". United Launch Alliance. 24 September 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  144. ^ Graham, William (15 October 2017). "Atlas V finally launches with NROL-52". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  145. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches SBIRS GEO Flight 4 Mission for the U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 20 January 2018. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  146. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches GOES-S Weather Satellite for NASA and NOAA". United Launch Alliance. 1 March 2018. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  147. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches AFSPC-11 Mission for the U.S. Air Force". United Launch Alliance. 15 April 2018. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  148. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches West Coast's First Interplanetary Mission for NASA". United Launch Alliance. 5 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  149. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches AEHF-4 Mission". United Launch Alliance. 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  150. ^ "The Maple Leaf". 16 September 2020. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  151. ^ Anz-Meador, Phillip D. (August 2019). "Orbital Debris Quarterly News". NASA Orbital. NASA. 23 (3).
  152. ^ "Breakup of Atlas 5 Centaur".
  153. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Communications Satellite for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center". United Launch Alliance. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  154. ^ "Starliner suffers mission-shortening failure after successful launch". 20 December 2019.
  155. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Solar Orbiter to Study the Sun". United Launch Alliance. 9 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  156. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches First National Security Space Mission for the U.S. Space Force". United Launch Alliance. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  157. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches the Sixth Orbital Test Vehicle for the U.S. Space Force". United Launch Alliance. 17 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  158. ^ Strickland, Ashley (30 July 2020). "Mars launch: NASA sends Perseverance rover to space". CNN. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  159. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-101 Mission in Support of National Security". United Launch Alliance. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  160. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches SBIRS GEO Flight 5 Mission in Support of National Security". United Launch Alliance. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  161. ^ "ULA delays further use of enhanced upper-stage engine pending studies". SpaceNews. 23 June 2021.
  162. ^ Mihir Neal and Lee Kanayama (27 September 2021). "NASA's Landsat 9 successfully launched aboard Atlas V from Vandenberg". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  163. ^ Warren, Haygen (15 October 2021). "NASA, ULA launch historic Lucy mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  164. ^ Fletcher, Colin (7 December 2021). "ULA launches Atlas V on long duration mission for Space Force". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  165. ^ Graham, William (21 January 2022). "ULA's Atlas V launches satellite-inspection mission for Space Force". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  166. ^ Kanayama, Lee (1 March 2022). "NOAA, NASA's GOES-T weather satellite launches on ULA Atlas V". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  167. ^ Graham, William (19 May 2022). "Starliner OFT-2 launch makes it to orbit, heading to ISS". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  168. ^ Graham, William (1 July 2022). "Atlas V launches two experimental military satellites on USSF-12 mission". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  169. ^ Graham, William (4 August 2022). "ULA's Atlas V launches final SBIRS GEO missile detection satellite". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  170. ^ Kanayama, Lee (4 October 2022). "Final Atlas V 531 launches dual SES-20 and SES-21 satellites". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  171. ^ Gebhardt, Chris (9 November 2022). "Atlas rocket bids farewell to California as ULA readies for Vulcan". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  172. ^ "ULA Atlas V to Retire After 29 Missions, Boeing-Lockheed's Venture Now Stops Sale of Rocket". 26 August 2021.
  173. ^ "Status: Hotbird 6". NextSpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  174. ^ "New Horizons Pluto Kuiper Belt Flyby". solarviews.com. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  175. ^ Ray, Justin. "Atlas 5 rocket sends Cygnus in hot pursuit of space station". Archived from the original on 12 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  176. ^ "OSIRIS-REx". NASA. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  177. ^ a b "X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  178. ^ "X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle lands at Vandenberg AFB". U.S. Air Force. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  179. ^ "ULA delays focused on protecting its 100 percent mission success rate". nasaspaceflight.com. NASASpaceFlight.com. 28 July 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  180. ^ Fahey, Mark (1 September 2016). "When a rocket blows up, space insurers pay for it". cnbc.com. CNBC. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  181. ^ "Air Force Issues Second Update Regarding Atlas V Centaur Upper Stage Anomaly Review". U.S. Air Force. 2 July 2007. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  182. ^ "NRO satellite successfully launched aboard Atlas V" (PDF) (Press release). NRO. 15 June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2013.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  183. ^ "NROL-30 launch update" (PDF) (Press release). NRO. 18 June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2013.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  184. ^ "Atlas 5 forced to improvise during Tuesday's climb to orbit" (Press release). Spaceflight Now. 24 March 2016. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  185. ^ Ray, Justin. "New lineup spelled out for upcoming Atlas 5 rocket launches from the Cape". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  186. ^ a b Ferster, Warren (17 September 2014). "ULA To Invest in Blue Origin Engine as RD-180 Replacement". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 18 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  187. ^ Mike Gruss (13 April 2015). "ULA's Next Rocket To Be Named Vulcan". SpaceNews.
  188. ^ Mike Gruss (13 April 2015). "ULA's Vulcan Rocket To be Rolled out in Stages". SpaceNews.
  189. ^ Butler, Amy (11 May 2015). "Industry Team Hopes To Resurrect Atlas V Post RD-180". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  190. ^ Foust, Jeff (11 September 2020). "ULA studying long-term upgrades to Vulcan".
  191. ^ Amy Butler (15 April 2015). "ULA CEO Calls 2018 Availability Date For AR1 Engine 'Ridiculous'". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  192. ^ Roulette, Joey (10 October 2022). "United Launch Alliance's debut Vulcan mission slips to 2023 -CEO". Reuters. Retrieved 11 October 2022.

External linksEdit

  • ULA Atlas V data sheets
    • Atlas 500 series cutaway
    • Atlas 400 series cutaway
  • ULA Atlas V RocketBuilder
  • Lockheed Martin: Atlas Launch Vehicles
  • Encyclopedia Astronautica: Atlas V
  • Space Launch Report: Atlas 5 Data Sheet

By using this platform, you agree to the Terms of Use ©2020 Knowpia