Function | Expendable launch system |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Convair Division of General Dynamics |
Country of origin | United States |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Launch sites | Cape Canaveral, LC-36 |
Total launches | 60 |
Success(es) | 48 |
Failure(s) | 8 |
Partial failure(s) | 4 |
First flight | 8 May 1962 |
Last flight | 19 May 1983 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2021) |
About the Atlas LV3C
editThe Atlas-Centaur was a United States expendable launch vehicle derived from the SM-65 Atlas D missile. Launches were conducted from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida.[1][2]
Launch statistics
editLaunch Outcomes
edit1
2
3
4
5
6
7
- Success
- Failure
- Partial failure
Launch Pads
edit1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Target orbit
editLaunches
editNumber | Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Reamarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1962-05-08 19:49 |
Atlas-Centaur-A LV-3C | AC-1 | CCAFS LC-36A | Test flight vehicle | Suborbital | Failure | First launch of the Atlas-Centaur vehicle. Centaur insulation panel separated prematurely, resulting in LH2 tank rupture at T+54 seconds and subsequent complete launch vehicle destruction. | |
2 | 1963-11-27 19:03 |
Atlas-Centaur-B LV-3C | AC-2 | CCAFS LC-36A | Test flight vehicle | LEO | Success | Performed first liquid hydrogen rocket engine firing in space. | |
3 | 1964-06-30 14:04 |
Atlas-Centaur-C LV-3C | AC-3 | CCAFS LC-36A | Test flight vehicle | LEO (target) | Failure | Centaur hydraulics pump failed, causing engine shutdown 253 seconds after Centaur ignition. | |
4 | 1964-12-11 14:25 |
Atlas-Centaur-C LV-3C | AC-4 | CCAFS LC-36A | Surveyor mass model | Test flight vehicle | MEO (target) LEO (actual) |
Partial failure | Centaur ullage rocket design flaw prevented it from restarting. |
5 | 1965-03-02 13:25 |
Atlas-Centaur-C LV-3C | AC-5 | CCAFS LC-36A | Surveyor SD-1 | Test flight vehicle | MEO (target) | Failure | Booster fuel prevalves accidentally closed at T+2 seconds, causing loss of booster engine thrust. Vehicle fell back onto the pad and exploded. |
6 | 1965-08-11 14:31 |
Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C | AC-6 | CCAFS LC-36B | Surveyor SD-2 | Test flight vehicle | HEO | Success | |
7 | 1966-04-08 01:00 |
Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C | AC-8 | CCAFS LC-36B | Surveyor SD-3 | Test flight vehicle | HEO (target) / LEO (actual) | Partial failure | Centaur stage ran out of ullage propellant before restarting. |
8 | 1966-05-30 14:41 |
Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C | AC-10 | CCAFS LC-36A | Surveyor 1 | Lunar lander | HEO | Success | First American lander to soft-land on the Moon. |
9 | 1966-09-20 12:32 |
Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C | AC-7 | CCAFS LC-36A | Surveyor 2 | Lunar lander | HEO | Success | Spacecraft failed en route to the Moon. |
10 | 1966-10-26 11:12 |
Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C | AC-9 | CCAFS LC-36B | Surveyor SD-4 | Test flight vehicle | HEO | Success | Performed first ever liquid hydrogen rocket engine restart in space. |
11 | 1967-04-07 07:05 |
Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C | AC-12 | CCAFS LC-36B | Surveyor 3 | Lunar lander | HEO | Success | |
12 | 1967-07-14 11:53 |
Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C | AC-11 | CCAFS LC-36A | Surveyor 4 | Lunar lander | HEO | Success | Spacecraft crash landed on the Moon. |
13 | 1967-09-08 07:57 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-13 | CCAFS LC-36B | Surveyor 5 | Lunar lander | HEO | Success | |
14 | 1967-11-07 07:39 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-14 | CCAFS LC-36B | Surveyor 6 | Lunar lander | HEO | Success | |
15 | 1968-01-07 06:30 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-15 | CCAFS LC-36A | Surveyor 7 | Lunar lander | HEO | Success | |
16 | 1968-08-10 22:33 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-17 | CCAFS LC-36A | ATS-4 | Communication/Meteorology | GEO (target) | Partial failure | Centaur stage failed to restart due to oxidizer leak. |
17 | 1968-12-07 08:40 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-16 | CCAFS LC-36B | OAO-2 | High energy astronomy research | LEO | Success | |
18 | 1969-02-25 01:29 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-20 | CCAFS LC-36B | Mariner 6 | Mars flyby probe | IPT | Success | |
19 | 1969-03-27 22:22 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-19 | CCAFS LC-36A | Mariner 7 | Mars flyby probe | IPT | Success | |
20 | 1969-08-12 11:01 |
Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C | AC-18 | CCAFS LC-36A | ATS-5 | Communication/Meteorology | GEO | Success | |
21 | 1970-11-30 22:40:05 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-21 | CCAFS LC-36B | OAO-B | Astronomy | LEO (target) | Failure | Payload fairing failed to separate |
22 | 1971-01-26 00:36:03 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-25 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat 4 F2 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
23 | 1971-05-09 01:11:02 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-24 | CCAFS LC-36A | Mariner 8 | Mars probe | Heliocentric (target) | Failure | Damaged circuit board in Centaur resulted in control failure and engine shutdown at T+365 seconds. |
24 | 1971-12-20 01:10:04 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-26 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat 4 F3 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
25 | 1972-01-23 00:12:04 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-28 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat 4 F4 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
26 | 1972-03-03 01:49:04 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-27 | CCAFS LC-36A | Pioneer 10 | Jupiter probe | Heliocentric | Success | First probe to visit Jupiter Solar System escape velocity achieved on Jupiter fly-by |
27 | 1972-06-13 21:53:04 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-29 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat 4 F5 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
28 | 1972-08-21 10:28:02 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C | AC-22 | CCAFS LC-36B | OAO-3 | Astronomy | LEO | Success | Final flight of Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C |
29 | 1973-04-06 02:11:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-30 | CCAFS LC-36B | Pioneer 11 | Planetary probe | Heliocentric | Success | Maiden flight of Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D First probe to visit Saturn Solar System escape velocity achieved on Jupiter fly-by |
30 | 1973-08-23 22:57:02 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-31 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat 4 F7 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
31 | 1973-11-03 05:45:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-34 | CCAFS LC-36B | Mariner 10 | Planetary probe | Heliocentric | Success | |
32 | 1974-11-21 23:43:59 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-32 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat 4 F8 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
33 | 1975-02-20 23:35:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-33 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat 4 F6 | Comsat | GTO (target) | Failure | Improper separation of a lanyard during booster jettison reset the Atlas programmer and caused erroneous flight path. RSO T+413 seconds. |
34 | 1975-05-22 22:04:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-35 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat 4 F1 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
35 | 1975-09-26 00:17:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-36 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat 4A F1 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
36 | 1976-01-29 23:56 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-37 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat 4A F2 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
37 | 1976-05-13 22:28 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-38 | CCAFS LC-36A | Comstar D1 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
38 | 1976-07-22 22:04:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-40 | CCAFS LC-36B | Comstar D2 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
39 | 1977-05-26 21:47:01 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-39 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat 4A F4 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
40 | 1977-08-12 06:29:31 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-45 | CCAFS LC-36B | HEAO-1 | Astronomy | LEO | Success | |
41 | 1977-09-30 01:02:59 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-43 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat 4A F5 | Comsat | GTO | Failure | Corroded plumbing resulted in a gas generator leak and thrust section fire during ascent. Vehicle self-destructed T+55 seconds. |
42 | 1978-01-07 00:15:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-46 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat 4A F3 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
43 | 1978-02-09 21:17:01 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-44 | CCAFS LC-36A | FLTSATCOM-1 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
44 | 1978-03-31 23:36:01 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-48 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat 4A F6 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
45 | 1978-05-20 13:13:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-50 | CCAFS LC-36A | Pioneer Venus Orbiter | Venus probe | Heliocentric | Success | |
46 | 1978-06-29 22:24:59 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-41 | CCAFS LC-36B | Comstar D3 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
47 | 1978-08-08 07:33 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-51 | CCAFS LC-36A | Pioneer Venus Multiprobe | Venus probe | Heliocentric | Success | |
48 | 1978-11-13 05:24 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-52 | CCAFS LC-36B | HEAO-2 | Astronomy | LEO | Success | |
49 | 4 May 1979 18:57:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-47 | CCAFS, LC-36A | FLTSATCOM-2 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
50 | 20 September 1979 05:28 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-53 | CCAFS, LC-36B | HEAO-3 | Astronomy | LEO | Success | |
51 | 1980-01-18 01:26:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-49 | CCAFS, LC-36A | FLTSATCOM-3 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
52 | 1980-10-31 03:54:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-57 | CCAFS, LC-36A | FLTSATCOM-4 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
53 | 1980-12-06 23:31:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-54 | CCAFS, LC-36B | Intelsat V F-2 | COMSAT | GTO | Success | |
54 | 1981-02-21 23:23:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-42 | CCAFS LC-36A | Comstar D4 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
55 | 23 May 1981 22:42:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-56 | CCAFS, LC-36B | Intelsat V F-1 | COMSAT | GTO | Success | |
56 | 1981-08-06 08:16:00 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-59 | CCAFS, LC-36A | FLTSATCOM-5 | Communications satellite | GTO | Partial failure | Fairing collapsed during ascent, damaging spacecraft |
57 | 1981-12-15 23:35 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-55 | CCAFS, LC-36B | Intelsat V F-3 | COMSAT | GTO | Success | |
58 | 1982-03-05 00:23 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-58 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat V -504 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
59 | 1982-09-28 23:17 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-60 | CCAFS LC-36B | Intelsat V -505 | Comsat | GTO | Success | |
60 | 1983-05-19 22:26 |
Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | AC-61 | CCAFS LC-36A | Intelsat V -506 | Comsat | GTO | Success | Final flight of the Atlas-Centaur rocket. |
References
edit- ^ "Atlas Centaur LV-3C". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- ^ a b DeFelice, David (2015-04-14). "Centaur: America's Workhorse in Space". NASA. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- ^ "Atlas Centaur". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- ^ "AC-8 Press Kit" (PDF). Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "McDowell, Jonathan. "Atlas". Orbital and Suborbital launch database. Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-04-19".