Rocket DB

Atlas family

Atlas IIA

RetiredUnited StatesLockheed MartinSpec: IIA

Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. It was designed to launch payloads into low earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. Sixty-three launches of the Atlas II, IIA and IIAS models were carried out between 1991 and 2004; all sixty-three launches were successes, making the Atlas II the most reliable launch system in history.

Flights flown23
Success rate100%23/23
Payload to LEO6,580kg
Maiden flight1992-06-10
Peak year19964 flights

Atlas IIA is built by Lockheed Martin of the United States. Company background, funding, contracts and news for this operator are tracked on Space Index. It first flew on 10 June 1992 and last flew on 5 December 2002.

Flight record

23 records
100% success rate23 of 23 flown
1992peak 1996 · 4 flights2002
First flight1992-06-10
Latest flight2002-12-05
Failures0
Consecutive successes23
Fastest turnaround10d 8h

Payload

Per mission profile
Low Earth orbit6,580kg
Geostationary transfer orbit2,810kg

Vehicle

IIA spec
Stages3
Length47.54m
Diameter3.04m
Launch mass204t
Liftoff thrust2,479kN
Maiden flight1992-06-10
ReusableNo

Pads used

2 pads
Launch Complex 36A18Launch Complex 36B5

Orbits delivered

5 orbits
Geostationary Orbit19Elliptical Orbit1Geosynchronous Orbit1Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit1Supersynchronous Transfer Orbit1

Compare

Same payload class
vs Soyuz Uvs Tsiklon-3vs Tsiklon-2vs Long March 2Dvs Vostok 8A92Mvs Long March 3B/E

Launch history

23 launches
DateMissionPadOrbitOutcome
2002-12-05Atlas IIA | TDRS 10Launch Complex 36AGeosynchronous OrbitSuccess
2002-03-08Atlas IIA | TDRS 9Launch Complex 36AGeosynchronous Transfer OrbitSuccess
2001-07-23Atlas IIA | GOES 12Launch Complex 36ASupersynchronous Transfer OrbitSuccess
2000-10-20Atlas IIA | DSCS-3 B11Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
2000-06-30Atlas IIA | TDRS 8Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
2000-05-03Atlas IIA | GOES 11Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
2000-01-21Atlas IIA | DSCS-3 B8Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1999-11-23Atlas IIA | UHF F/O F10Launch Complex 36BGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1998-10-20Atlas IIA | UHF F/O F9Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1998-10-09Atlas IIA | Hot Bird 5Launch Complex 36BGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1998-01-29Atlas IIA | NROL-5Launch Complex 36AElliptical OrbitSuccess
1997-10-25Atlas IIA | DSCS-3 B13Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1997-03-08Atlas IIA | Tempo 2Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1996-12-18Atlas IIA | INMARSAT III F-3Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1996-11-21Atlas IIA | Hot Bird 2Launch Complex 36BGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1996-09-08Atlas IIA | GE 1Launch Complex 36BGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1996-04-03Atlas IIA | INMARSAT III F-1Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1995-12-15Atlas IIA | Galaxy 3RLaunch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1995-07-31Atlas IIA | DSCS-3 B7Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1995-04-07Atlas IIA | AMSC 1Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1994-11-29Atlas IIA | Orion 1Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1994-08-03Atlas IIA | DirecTV 2Launch Complex 36AGeostationary OrbitSuccess
1992-06-10Atlas IIA | INTELSAT KLaunch Complex 36BGeostationary OrbitSuccess

Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.

Further reading: Wikipedia