Originally developed as the SM-65 intercontinental ballistic missile, this rocket family became a workhorse for the American space program. Early versions featured a unique stage-and-a-half design where two booster engines dropped away while a central sustainer engine kept firing. The architecture underwent continuous upgrades over decades, eventually replacing the thin balloon tanks with rigid structures in the V series.
We're tracking the Atlas V rollout to the pad for tomorrow's payload integration.
The original rockets used pressure-stabilized tanks that would collapse under their own weight if not kept pressurized with nitrogen gas.
Related terms
Launch vehicle
A rocket or other system used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into space.
Sustainer
A rocket engine designed to burn continuously from liftoff through the later stages of ascent.
SLV
A space launch vehicle is a rocket designed to carry payloads from the Earth's surface into space.