Atlas II
Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. The Atlas II was a direct evolution of the Atlas I, featuring longer first stage tanks, higher-performing engines, and the option for strap-on solid rocket boosters. It was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. Sixty-three launches of the Atlas II, IIA and IIAS models were carried out between 1991 and 2004; all sixty-three launches were successes, making the Atlas II a highly reliable space launch system. The Atlas line was continued by the Atlas III, used between 2000 and 2005, and the Atlas V which is still in use.
Launch of an Atlas II rocket | |
| Function | Medium expendable Launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 47.54 m (156.0 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.04 m (10.0 ft) |
| Mass | 204,300 kg (450,400 lb) |
| Stages | 2.5 (3.5 with IABS) |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass |
|
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass |
|
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Atlas |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | SLC-36, Cape Canaveral SLC-3 Vandenberg AFB |
| Total launches | 63 (II: 10, IIA: 23, IIAS: 30) |
| Success(es) | 63 (II: 10, IIA: 23, IIAS: 30) |
| First flight | II: December 7, 1991 IIA: June 10, 1992 IIAS: December 16, 1993 |
| Last flight | II: March 16, 1998 IIA: December 5, 2002 IIAS: August 31, 2004 |
| Type of passengers/cargo | SOHO (Atlas IIAS) TDRS (Atlas IIA) |
| Boosters (Atlas IIAS) – Castor 4A | |
| No. boosters | 4 |
| Powered by | 1 Solid |
| Maximum thrust | 478.3 kN (107,500 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 266 s (2.61 km/s) |
| Burn time | 56 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB |
| Boosters (all) – MA-5A | |
| No. boosters | 1 |
| Powered by | 2 RS-56-OBA |
| Maximum thrust | 2,093.3 kN (470,600 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 299 s (2.93 km/s) |
| Burn time | 172 seconds |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 1 RS-56-OSA |
| Maximum thrust | 386 kN (87,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 316 s (3.10 km/s) |
| Burn time | 283 seconds |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage – Centaur | |
| Powered by | 2 RL-10A |
| Maximum thrust | 147 kN (33,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 449 s (4.40 km/s) |
| Burn time | 392 seconds |
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
| Third stage – Integrated Apogee Boost Stage (Only on DSCS III launches) | |
| Powered by | 2 R-4D |
| Maximum thrust | 980 N (220 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 312 s (3.06 km/s) |
| Burn time | 60 seconds |
| Propellant | N2O4 / MMH |
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