Atlas V

Atlas V

Launch of an Atlas V 401 carrying the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS space probes on 18 June 2009.
Function	Medium-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	United Launch Alliance
Country of origin	United States
Cost per launch	US$110–153 million (2016)[1]
Size
Height	Up to 58.3 m (191 ft)
Diameter	3.81 m (12.5 ft)
Mass	590,000 kg (1,300,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Orbital inclination	28.70°
Mass	8,210–18,850 kg (18,100–41,560 lb)[2]
Payload to GTO
Mass	4,750–8,900 kg (10,470–19,620 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Atlas
Based on	Atlas III
Comparable	Delta IV Falcon 9 Long March 3B Proton-M Saturn IB
Launch history
Status	Active, retiring
Launch sites	Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 Vandenberg, SLC-3 (until 2022)
Total launches	101[3][4][5] 401: 41 411: 6 421: 9 431: 3 501: 8 511: 1 521: 2 531: 5 541: 9 551: 14 N22: 3
Success(es)	100 401: 40 411: 6 421: 9 431: 3 501: 8 511: 1 521: 2 531: 5 541: 9 551: 14 N22: 3
Partial failure(s)	15 June 2007
First flight	21 August 2002 (Hot Bird 6)
Last flight	30 July 2024 (USSF-51)
Boosters – AJ-60A[6]
No. boosters	0 to 5
Height	17 m (56 ft)[6]
Diameter	1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Gross mass	46,697 kg (102,949 lb)
Propellant mass	42,630 kg (93,980 lb)[7]
Maximum thrust	1,688.4 kN (379,600 lbf)
Specific impulse	279.3 s (2.739 km/s)
Burn time	94 seconds
Propellant	AP / HTPB / Al
Boosters – GEM 63[8][9]
No. boosters	0 to 5
Height	20.1 m (66 ft)[8]
Diameter	1.6 m (63 in)
Gross mass	49,300 kg (108,700 lb)
Propellant mass	44,200 kg (97,400 lb)
Maximum thrust	1,663 kN (374,000 lbf)
Burn time	94 seconds
Propellant	AP / HTPB / Al
First stage – Atlas CCB
Height	32.46 m (106.5 ft)
Diameter	3.81 m (12.5 ft)
Empty mass	21,054 kg (46,416 lb)
Propellant mass	284,089 kg (626,309 lb)
Powered by	1 × RD-180
Maximum thrust	SL: 3,827 kN (860,000 lbf) vac: 4,152 kN (933,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	SL: 311.3 s (3.053 km/s) vac: 337.8 s (3.313 km/s)
Burn time	253 seconds
Propellant	RP-1 / LOX
Second stage – Centaur III
Height	12.68 m (41.6 ft)
Diameter	3.05 m (10.0 ft)
Empty mass	2,316 kg (5,106 lb)
Propellant mass	20,830 kg (45,920 lb)
Powered by	1 × RL10A, 2 × RL10A or 1 × RL10C
Maximum thrust	99.2 kN (22,300 lbf) (RL10A)
Specific impulse	450.5 s (4.418 km/s) (RL10A)
Burn time	842 seconds (RL10A)
Propellant	LH2 / LOX
[edit on Wikidata]

Atlas V^[a] is an expendable launch system and the fifth major version in the Atlas launch vehicle family. It was designed by Lockheed Martin and has been operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA)^[b] since 2006. It is used for DoD, NASA, and commercial payloads. It is America's longest-serving active rocket. After 87 launches, in August 2021 ULA announced that Atlas V would be retired, and all 29 remaining launches had been sold. As of July 2024^[update], 15 launches remain. Production ceased in 2024.^[10] Other future ULA launches will use the Vulcan Centaur rocket.^[11]

Each Atlas V launch vehicle consists of two main stages. The first stage is powered by a single Russian RD-180 engine 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. Strap-on solid rocket boosters (SRBs) are used in many configurations. AJ-60A SRBs were used originally, but they were replaced in November 2020 by Graphite-Epoxy Motor (GEM 63) SRBs for all except Starliner launches. The standard payload fairings are 4.2 or 5.4 m (14 or 18 ft) in diameter with various lengths.^[12]

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