Atlas family
Atlas SLV-3C Centaur
The Atlas-Centaur was a US expendable launch vehicle derived from the SM-65 Atlas D missile. Launches were conducted from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Flights flown17
Success rate88.2%15/17
Payload to LEO800kg
Maiden flight1967-09-08
Peak year19714 flights
Atlas SLV-3C Centaur is built by Convair of the United States. It first flew on 8 September 1967 and last flew on 21 August 1972.
Flight record
88.2% success rate15 of 17 flown · 2 failed
1967peak 1971 · 4 flights1972
First flight1967-09-08
Latest flight1972-08-21
Failures2
Consecutive successes6
Fastest turnaround21d 21h
Payload
| Low Earth orbit | 800kg |
|---|
Vehicle
| Stages | 2 |
|---|---|
| Length | 21m |
| Diameter | 3.05m |
| Launch mass | 120t |
| Maiden flight | 1967-09-08 |
| Reusable | No |
Pads used
Orbits delivered
Geostationary Orbit4Low Earth Orbit3Lunar Impactor3Geosynchronous Orbit2Mars flyby2Mars Orbit2Solar Escape Trajectory1
Launch history
| Date | Mission | Pad | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-08-21 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Copernicus | Launch Complex 36B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 1972-06-13 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | INTELSAT IV F5 | Launch Complex 36B | Geostationary Orbit | Success |
| 1972-03-03 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Pioneer 10 | Launch Complex 36A | Solar Escape Trajectory | Success |
| 1972-01-23 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | INTELSAT IV F4 | Launch Complex 36B | Geostationary Orbit | Success |
| 1971-12-20 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | INTELSAT IV F3 | Launch Complex 36A | Geostationary Orbit | Success |
| 1971-05-30 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Mariner 9 | Launch Complex 36B | Mars Orbit | Success |
| 1971-05-09 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Mariner 8 | Launch Complex 36A | Mars Orbit | Failure |
| 1971-01-26 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | INTELSAT IV F2 | Launch Complex 36A | Geostationary Orbit | Success |
| 1970-11-30 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | OAO B | Launch Complex 36B | Low Earth Orbit | Failure |
| 1969-08-12 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | ATS 5 | Launch Complex 36A | Geosynchronous Orbit | Success |
| 1969-03-27 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Mariner 7 | Launch Complex 36A | Mars flyby | Success |
| 1969-02-25 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Mariner 6 | Launch Complex 36B | Mars flyby | Success |
| 1968-12-07 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | OAO 2 | Launch Complex 36B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 1968-08-10 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | ATS 4 | Launch Complex 36A | Geosynchronous Orbit | Success |
| 1968-01-07 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Surveyor 7 | Launch Complex 36A | Lunar Impactor | Success |
| 1967-11-07 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Surveyor 6 | Launch Complex 36B | Lunar Impactor | Success |
| 1967-09-08 | Atlas SLV-3C Centaur | Surveyor 5 | Launch Complex 36B | Lunar Impactor | Success |
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