How powerful is the Atlas V?

Delivering more than 860,000 pounds of thrust at liftoff and an impressive range of continuous throttling capability, the RD-180 main engine is a powerful combination of innovation and performance.

How tall is an Atlas V 551?

196 ft to 205 ft.
In full launch configuration, the Atlas V can be as tall as 196 ft to 205 ft. This launch system can propel as much as 44,200 lbs to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

What engines does the Atlas V use?

It is powered by one Energomash RD-180 main engine burning 284,450 kg (627,100 lb) of liquid oxygen and RP-1. The booster operates for about four minutes, providing about 4 MN (900,000 lbf) of thrust.

Is Atlas 5 a big rocket?

According to ULA, the Atlas 5-511 can carry up to 11,570 pounds (5,250 kilograms) to an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit. Its capacity to low Earth orbit is roughly 24,250 pounds (11,000 kilograms), according to ULA performance data.

Is Atlas V Heavy Lift?

Heavy-lift version of the Atlas V launch vehicle system with three parallel 3.8-m-diameter Common Core Boosters (CCB), and a stretched version of the Centaur upper stage (CIII), which could be configured as a single-engine Centaur (SEC) or a dual engine Centaur (DEC), and a 5 m diameter payload fairing.

How many Atlas rockets are left?

There were only six launches of the succeeding Atlas III, all between 2000 and 2005. The Atlas V is still in service, with launches planned into the 2020s.

Is the Atlas V reusable?

The Starliner was designed to accommodate seven passengers or a mix of crew and cargo. The spacecraft crew module has an innovative, weldless structure and is reusable up to 10 times with a six-month turnaround time.

Does Atlas 5 use Russian engines?

— A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, powered by a Russian-made RD-180 rocket motor, blasted off on a crisp 68 degree Florida day into clear blue skies March 1, carrying the GOES-T National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite into orbit.

How fast does the Atlas V go?

every second! During this phase, the spacecraft accelerates to supersonic speeds of about 10,000 mph (4,500 meters per second).

Where is Atlas V manufactured?

Decatur, Alabama
Atlas V is built in Decatur, Alabama, and maintains two launch sites: Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Space Launch Complex 3-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

What fuel does Atlas V use?

kerosene fuel
Fully fueled, with the spacecraft on top, it weighs about 730,000 pounds (333,000 kilograms). Thermally stable kerosene fuel (type RP-1) and liquid oxygen are loaded shortly before launch into cylindrical fuel tanks that make up about half of the total height of the vehicle.

Is the Atlas 5 reusable?

What fuel does the Atlas V use?

Thermally stable kerosene fuel (type RP-1) and liquid oxygen are loaded shortly before launch into cylindrical fuel tanks that make up about half of the total height of the vehicle. The common core booster can provide thrust of up to about 850,000 pounds (3.8 million newtons) at full throttle.

Why is Atlas V famous?

United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket is one of the world’s most reliable launch vehicles used to deliver exploration spacecraft, satellites and classified payloads into space for NASA, the United States Air Force, the National Reconnaissance Office and commercial customers.

What fuel does NASA use?

hydrogen
NASA’s hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are used for many purposes. NASA has relied upon hydrogen gas as rocket fuel to deliver crew and cargo to space. With the recent focus on human missions to the moon and eventually Mars, hydrogen will continue to be innovatively stored, measured, processed and employed.

What is the most reliable launch vehicle?

With a curriculum vitae that includes over 1700 manned and unmanned launches, the Soyuz rocket is the most frequently used launch vehicle in the world. The rocket consists of three stages that provide thrust at various points in the flight until the Soyuz capsule finally settles into orbit around the Earth.

What is the payload of Atlas V 551?

Atlas V 551 Part of Atlas V American orbital launch vehicle. Atlas V with 5-m diameter payload fairing, single engine Centaur upper stage, and five strap-on solid boosters. Payloads: 20,520 kg (45,238 lb) to sun synchronous orbit; 8,700 kg (19,180 lb) to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

What is the difference between Atlas V 431 and 552?

For example, an Atlas V 552 has a 5-meter fairing, 5 solid rocket boosters, and 2 Centaur engines, whereas an Atlas V 431 has a 4-meter fairing, 3 solid rocket boosters, and 1 Centaur engine. As of October 2018, only the single-engine Centaur (SEC) has been used.

What is the difference between the Atlas I and Atlas V?

The main differences between the Atlas V and earlier Atlas I and II family launch vehicles are: The first stage tanks no longer use stainless steel monocoque pressure stabilized “balloon” construction. The tanks are isogrid aluminum and are structurally stable when unpressurized.

How much thrust does the Atlas V rocket have?

Thrust can be augmented with up to five Aerojet AJ-60A or Northrop Grumman GEM-63 strap-on solid rocket boosters, each providing an additional 1.27 MN (290,000 lb f) of thrust for 94 seconds. The main differences between the Atlas V and earlier Atlas I and II family launch vehicles are: