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Atlas 3B vehicle data LOCKHEED MARTIN Posted: December 11, 2003 The Atlas 3B is a two-stage rocket capable to lifting payloads of 4,500 kg (9,920 lb) into a geostationary transfer orbit. It features no strap-on solid rocket boosters. Atlas is the name of a family of booster stages. Centaur is a family of high-energy, restartable upper stages. Atlas 3 is the designation for an Atlas 3 stage with a booster engine and a Centaur 3 upper stage. The Atlas 3B uses a "stretched" Centaur.
Atlas booster
Atlas booster propulsion is provided by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine system, which consists of two thrust chambers fed by a common turbopump assembly. The engine is ignited before liftoff and develops a total sea-level-rated thrust of 617,500 pounds. The interstage adapter connects the Atlas to the Centaur. This aluminum structure provides the structural link between Atlas and Centaur. The Atlas is separated from the Centaur by a flexible linear-shaped charge system attached to the forward ring of the interstage adapter.
Centaur Upper Stage
Centaur avionics packages, mounted on the equipment module, control and monitor all vehicle functions. Centaur avionics perform the inertial guidance and attitude control computations for both Atlas and Centaur phases of flight, and control Centaur tank pressures and propellant use. The Centaur propulsion system uses one RL10A-4-1B engine with an extendible nozzle manufactured by Pratt & Whitney. The Centaur engine is restartable and is capable of multiple firings in space, separated by coast phases. The stub adapter and equipment module are attached to the forward end of the Centaur. The stub adapter is bolted to the forward ring of the Centaur tank and supports the equipment module and payload fairing. The equipment module attaches to the forward ring of the stub adapter and provides for mounting of the Centaur avionics and the spacecraft adapter.
Payload Fairing The payload fairing is a two-half-shell structure constructed of aluminum with vertical, split-line longerons. It consists of a cylindrical section topped by a conical nose cone and a spherical cap. The fairing provides thermal and acoustic enclosures for the payload and launch vehicle electronic compartments during prelaunch and ascent. Portions of the external surface of the fairing are insulated with cork to limit temperatures to acceptable levels. Noncontaminating thermal control coatings are used on internal surfaces to reduce incident heat fluxes to the spacecraft. The payload fairing is jettisoned after Centaur Main Engine Start 1.
Spacecraft Adapter While coasting in the transfer orbit, the Centaur issues separation commands to release and separate the spacecraft from the forward adapter.
Atlas Production |
Flight data file Vehicle: Atlas 3B (AC-203) Payload: UHF Follow-On F11 Launch date: Dec. 17, 2003 Launch window: 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. EST (0230-0430 GMT on 18th) Launch site: Complex 36B, Cape Canaveral, Florida Satellite broadcast: Galaxy 3, Transponder 5, C-band Pre-launch briefing Launch preview - Our story looking at this Atlas 3 rocket launch of the UHF F11 satellite. Launch timeline - Chart with times and descriptions of events to occur during the launch. Weather forecast - The latest forecast for launch day conditions. Launch hazard area - The restricted area during liftoff. Ground track - See the trajectory the rocket will follow during its flight. Orbit insertion - Illustration of UHF F11's trek to geostationary orbit. UHF satellites - Overview of the U.S. Navy's UHF Follow-On communications constellation. Atlas 3B vehicle data - Description of rocket being used in this launch. The RD-180 - Facts and figures about the Russian-built engine to power Atlas 3 and 5. Atlas directory - See our coverage of previous Atlas rocket flights. Soviet Space For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Viking patch This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 7 DVD For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Gemini 12 Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Soviet Space For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Viking patch This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 7 DVD For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Gemini 12 Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo Collage This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.STS-127 Patch The official embroidered patch for shuttle Endeavour's flight to finish building Japanese section of the space station.![]() Hubble Patch The official embroidered patch for mission STS-125, the space shuttle's last planned service call to the Hubble Space Telescope, is available for purchase.Project Orion The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.Fallen Heroes Patch Collection The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store. |
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