NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Atlas-Able

The Atlas-Able was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets and was used to launch several Pioneer spacecraft towards the Moon.

The Atlas-Able was a three-and-a-half-stage rocket, with a stage-and-a-half Atlas missile as the first stage, an Able second stage, and an Altair third stage. The first Atlas-Able used an Atlas C as the first stage, but this exploded during a static fire test. The remaining launches used Atlas D missiles.

Missions: 3
Successes: 0
Partial Failures: 0
Failures: 3
Success Streak: 0
Success Rate: 0%
Wiki

Configurations

Atlas-D Able
Image Credit: USAF or NASA
General Dynamics
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 1,880 kN
Stages: 3
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 35.0 m

Launch Sites

LC-12, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
LC-13, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
LC-14, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Launches

General Dynamics
Atlas-D Able | Pioneer P-31
Thu Dec 15, 1960 09:10 UTC
LC-12, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
General Dynamics
Atlas-D Able | Pioneer P-30
Sun Sep 25, 1960 15:13 UTC
LC-12, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
General Dynamics
Atlas-D Able | Pioneer P-3
Thu Nov 26, 1959 07:26 UTC
LC-14, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA