Atlas (rocket)

Mercury-Atlas launches Friendship 7 with the first American in orbit around the earth (20 February 1962).

Atlas is a family of American rockets, one version of which placed the Mercury astronauts in orbit around the Earth. It had superior phases such as Agena and Centaur. Atlas rockets are used to launch satellites and space probes.

The first test of the Atlas, in 1957, was the first success of the United States with intercontinental ballistic missiles. It was a stage-and-a-half rocket with three engines burning LOX and RP-1 producing 1590 kN of thrust.

Named for Atlas, a titan from Greek mythology, it began in 1946 with the award of an Air Force research contract to study nuclear missiles with a range between 1,500 and 5,000 miles (2,400 to 8,000 km).).

History

Its military designation was XB-65, to be changed to CGM-16 in 1962, with the C representing that it is stored in a reinforced container or underground silo. To be launched it was elevated and filled with fuel.

The latest ballistic version, the Atlas-F, used a 53.34 meter underground silo capable of withstanding a direct nuclear hit. The silos were clustered in clusters of 12, some located in southeastern Nebraska. In the mid-1960s they were removed to make way for the solid fuel LGM-30 Minuteman, which could be stored for long periods of time without having to refuel.

The Atlas D carried a nuclear warhead using a Mk 2 re-entry vehicle with a W-38 (thermonuclear) bomb with a power of 3.75 megatons that could be detonated in the air or upon impact on the ground.

Although it was never used in combat, it served as the upper stage in the launch of the Mariner probes to study Mercury, Venus and Mars.

When John Glenn was launched in 1962, he used an Atlas rocket, making him the first American to orbit the earth. Some Atlas rockets were also used in the Gemini program. Rockets descended from the Atlas design are used in the 21st century.

Atlas ICBM launched from Vandenberg AFB, California.

Design

These rockets used as fuel tanks balls or balloons made of a very thin metal (width 1.02 cm) and without a rigid support structure[1]. The Atlas had an unusual stage system: at the time it was developed, it was doubtful that the rocket would fire its other stages in space, so they were discarded and only one stage would be capable of firing. bring the rocket to its target. Korolyov made the same choice when designing the R-7 rocket, which had only a core stage and 4 extra boosters attached to the main body, eliminating the problem of firing an extra stage at high altitudes on Earth.

Descendants of Atlas

• Atlas II
• Atlas III
• Atlas IV
• Atlas V
• GX

The Atlas II version made 63 successful flights, the last one on August 31, 2004, being considered one of the most reliable launchers in the world.

The most recent version of this family is the Atlas V, which uses a very different technology from its predecessors, since it does not use the balloon-type tank and its thrusters are more similar to those of the Titan family and its fuselage is very rigid and heavy.

Ironically, these missiles were designed as ICBMs to attack the USSR-Russia, but since the Atlas III and Atlas V they use Russian Energomash RD-180 rocket engines, produced under license by Pratt & Whitney in the United States.

Atlas-class ballistic missiles

Until 1964, 155 missiles were in service. Of the CGM-16E version, there were 126 units in 1960. Of the HGM-16F version there were 235 units until 1964.

Specifications

General Features

• Length: 22.9 m with Mk2 reentry vehicle
• Scope: 3,05 m
• Maximum weight at takeoff: 116 000 kg (Atlas D), 118 000 kg (Atlas E and F)
• Motriz plant: 1 Rocketdyne LR105 of 25 800 kgf, 2 LR89 engines of 68 100 kgf and 2 450 kgf LR101 engines.

Performance

• Scope: 16 670 km, and 18 500 km Atlas E and FPrecision to target CEP 1400 m

Weaponry