Atlas H
Encyclopedia
The Atlas H 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 five clusters of NOSS
satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office
. Two flights also carried LIPS satellites, as secondary payloads for the United States Naval Research Laboratory
.
The Atlas H was a stage and a half rocket, using the enhanced Atlas rocket designed for use as the first stage of the Atlas G
rocket, which differed from the Atlas H in having a Centaur
upper stage. This stage was later reused as the first stage of the Atlas I
. In practice, an MSD upper stage was flown on all five launches.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
expendable launch system
Expendable launch system
An expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas
Atlas (rocket family)
Atlas is a family of U.S. space launch vehicles. The original Atlas missile was designed in the late 1950s and produced by the Convair Division of General Dynamics, to be used as an intercontinental ballistic missile...
family of rockets, and was used to launch five clusters of NOSS
Naval Ocean Surveillance System
The Naval Ocean Surveillance System , reportedly also called White Cloud and PARCAE, refers to one or several systems of SIGINT satellites which conducted ELINT for the U.S. Navy beginning in the early 1970s....
satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office
National Reconnaissance Office
The National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:...
. Two flights also carried LIPS satellites, as secondary payloads for the United States Naval Research Laboratory
United States Naval Research Laboratory
The United States Naval Research Laboratory is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps and conducts a program of scientific research and development. NRL opened in 1923 at the instigation of Thomas Edison...
.
The Atlas H was a stage and a half rocket, using the enhanced Atlas rocket designed for use as the first stage of the Atlas G
Atlas G
The Atlas G, also known as Atlas G Centaur-D1AR was an American expendable launch system derived from the Atlas-Centaur. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch seven communication satellites during the mid to late 1980s...
rocket, which differed from the Atlas H in having a Centaur
Centaur (rocket stage)
Centaur is a rocket stage designed for use as the upper stage of space launch vehicles. Centaur boosts its satellite payload to geosynchronous orbit or, in the case of an interplanetary space probe, to or near to escape velocity...
upper stage. This stage was later reused as the first stage of the Atlas I
Atlas I
The Atlas I was an American expendable launch system, used in the 1990s to launch a variety of different satellites. The "I" in "Atlas I" can cause confusion, as all previous Atlas rockets were designated using letters, ending with the Atlas H, however subsequent rockets were designated using roman...
. In practice, an MSD upper stage was flown on all five launches.