50th Anniversary of the First Atlas Launch

Started by sardak, June 12, 2007, 04:00:08 AM

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sardak

Today, June 11, marks the 50th anniversary of the first launch of an Atlas missile.  The first launch got off to a bad start as the vehicle began to tumble out of control after 24 seconds.  The next launch in September failed for basically the same reason.  Engine exhaust was sucked back up into the bottom of the rocket and burned up critical components.  The third time was a charm and the first successful launch occurred on December 17, 1957.

In these 50 years there have been 592 Atlas launches, the latest this past March and the next one is scheduled for later this week (maybe).  308 have been launched from Cape Canaveral and 284 from Vandenberg AFB.   Atlas was the first US ICBM and boosted the first US orbital manned flight, John Glenn's.   Four astronauts flew on Mercury/Atlas. 

Mike

wingnut

I worked on several Atlas launches at Vandenberg AFB in the early 70s
1974 July 14 05:17 - NTS 1 Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Atlas F/PTS 69F Apogee: 13 774 km (8 558 mi). Demonstrated navigation technologies leading eventually to Navstar/GPS system. Operated for 5 years.

1975 April 13 00:51 - P 72-2 Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. First stage failure due to explosion in flame pit at lift-off.. Atlas F 71F / Star-17A A lack of deluge water and collection in the flame bucket of a kerosene/liquid oxygen gel led to the explosion of the gel on lift-off, damaging one of the Atlas engines and leading to complete engine failure during the ascent.

A side note: When Kruschev (1959) was shown Vandenberg (By Train) Two Atlas were on the pad and gave him a little scare.

Pylon

A cool nugget of Aerospace Education trivia for the cadets this week.  Thanks for sharing!  :)
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

sardak

Wingnut -
The 50th anniversary party is open to everyone who worked on the program.  It will be in San Diego July 21-20.  I've tried my hardest to go, but it won't work out.
The link: http://members.cox.net/atlas_reunion/

I was never at VAFB, but I was on the launch crew for a number of launches from the Cape.

I started at GD-Convair in 1983 as a structures engineer on the program to modify into space launch vehicles the Atlas E birds (ICBMs for those browsing) that had been in storage at Norton AFB.  A program with 100% launch success.

By the time I left, I was the head of the Centaur upper stage structural design group.

For those interested in Atlas history, there are links on the 50th anniversary site to the launch history and links to Atlas websites, many of which are very interesting.  The launch history incorrectly shows 594 launches.  It shows 11 Atlas V launches when there have been only 9.  Eternal optimists.

Mike