Login
Login

List of Atlas LV3C launches

{{short description|None}}

{{Infobox rocket

| name = Atlas-Centaur

| image = Surveyor 1 launch.jpg

| caption = An Atlas-Centaur launching Surveyor 1 (1966)

| manufacturer = Convair Division of
General Dynamics

| function = Expendable launch system

| country-origin = United States

| status = Retired

| sites = Cape Canaveral, LC-36

| fail = 8

| success = 48

| partial = 4

| launches = 60

| first = 8 May 1962

| last = 19 May 1983

}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2021}}

About the Atlas LV3C

The Atlas-Centaur was a United States 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 (CCAFS) in Florida.{{Cite web|title=Atlas Centaur LV-3C|url=http://www.astronautix.com/a/atlascentaurlv-3c.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228055840/http://astronautix.com/a/atlascentaurlv-3c.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 28, 2016|access-date=2021-07-08|website=www.astronautix.com}}{{Cite web|last=DeFelice|first=David|date=2015-04-14|title=Centaur: America's Workhorse in Space|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/history/centaur.html|access-date=2021-07-09|website=NASA|language=en}}

Launch statistics

= Launch Outcomes =

{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart

| float = center

| width = 1000

| height = 400

| stack = 1

| group 1 = 0:1:0:1:3:4:2:3:0:2:4:3:1:2:3:2:7:2:3:3:2:1

| group 2 = 1:0:1:0:0:0:0:1:1:0:0:0:1:0:1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 3 = 0:0:1:0:1:0:1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1:0:0

| colors = ForestGreen : FireBrick : Yellow

| group names = Success : Failure : Partial failure

| x legends = '62 : '63 : '64 : '65 : '66 : '67 : '68 : '69 : '70 : '71 : '72 : '73 : '74 : '75 : '76 : '77 : '78 : '79 : '80 : '81 : '82 : '83

| y tick marks = 7

}}

= Launch Pads =

{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart

| float = center

| width = 1000

| height = 400

| stack = 1

| group 1 = 1:1:2:1:3:4:2:3:0:2:4:3:1:2:3:2:7:2:3:3:2:1

| group 2 = 1:0:1:1:0:0:0:1:1:0:0:0:1:0:1:4:0:1:1:2:1:0

| colors = ForestGreen : FireBrick

| group names = CCAFS LC-36A : CCAFS LC-36B

| x legends = '62 : '63 : '64 : '65 : '66 : '67 : '68 : '69 : '70 : '71 : '72 : '73 : '74 : '75 : '76 : '77 : '78 : '79 : '80 : '81 : '82 : '83

| y tick marks = 7

}}

= Target orbit =

{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart

| float = center

| width = 1000

| height = 400

| stack = 1

| group 1 = 1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 2 = 0:1:1:0:0:0:1:0:1:0:1:1:0:0:0:1:1:1:0:0:0:0

| group 3 = 0:0:1:1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 4 = 0:0:0:1:4:4:1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 5 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:1:1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 6 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:2:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 7 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:2:2:1:1:3:3:2:4:1:3:4:2:1

| group 8 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:2:0:0:0:0:0:0

| colors = ForestGreen : FireBrick : Yellow : Blue : Purple : Black : Orange : Cyan

| group names = Suborbital : LEO : MEO : HEO : GEO : IPT : GTO : Heliocentric

| x legends = '62 : '63 : '64 : '65 : '66 : '67 : '68 : '69 : '70 : '71 : '72 : '73 : '74 : '75 : '76 : '77 : '78 : '79 : '80 : '81 : '82 : '83

| y tick marks = 5

}}

Launches

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0"

|+The data in this table comes from,{{Cite web|title=Atlas Centaur|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/atlas_centaur.htm|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Gunter's Space Page|language=en}}{{cite web|title=AC-8 Press Kit|url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19660026039/downloads/19660026039.pdf|access-date=November 12, 2022}} and {{Cite web|title=McDowell, Jonathan. "Atlas". Orbital and Suborbital launch database. Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-04-19.|url=http://planet4589.org/space/lvdb/launch/Atlas}}

Number

! Date/Time
(UTC)

! Rocket

! S/N

! Launch Site

! Payload

! Function

! Orbit

! Outcome

! Reamarks

1

|1962-05-08
19:49

|{{nowrap|Atlas-Centaur-A LV-3C}}

|AC-1

|CCAFS LC-36A

|

|Test flight vehicle

|Suborbital

|{{Failure}}

|First launch of the Atlas-Centaur vehicle. Centaur insulation panel separated prematurely, resulting in LH2 tank rupture at T+54 seconds and subsequent complete launch vehicle destruction.

2

|1963-11-27
19:03

|Atlas-Centaur-B LV-3C

|AC-2

|CCAFS LC-36A

|

|Test flight vehicle

|LEO

|{{Success}}

|Performed first liquid hydrogen rocket engine firing in space.

3

|1964-06-30
14:04

|Atlas-Centaur-C LV-3C

|AC-3

|CCAFS LC-36A

|

|Test flight vehicle

|LEO (target)

|{{Failure}}

|Centaur hydraulics pump failed, causing engine shutdown 253 seconds after Centaur ignition.

4

|1964-12-11
14:25

|Atlas-Centaur-C LV-3C

|AC-4

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Surveyor mass model

|Test flight vehicle

|MEO (target)
LEO (actual)

|{{Partial failure}}

|Centaur ullage rocket design flaw prevented it from restarting.

5

|1965-03-02
13:25

|Atlas-Centaur-C LV-3C

|AC-5

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Surveyor SD-1

|Test flight vehicle

|MEO (target)

|{{Failure}}

|Booster fuel prevalves accidentally closed at T+2 seconds, causing loss of booster engine thrust. Vehicle fell back onto the pad and exploded.

6

|1965-08-11
14:31

|Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C

|AC-6

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Surveyor SD-2

|Test flight vehicle

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|

7

|1966-04-08
01:00

|Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C

|AC-8

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Surveyor SD-3

|Test flight vehicle

|HEO (target) / LEO (actual)

|{{Partial failure}}

|Centaur stage ran out of ullage propellant before restarting.

8

|1966-05-30
14:41

|Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C

|AC-10

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Surveyor 1

|Lunar lander

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|First American lander to soft-land on the Moon.

9

|1966-09-20
12:32

|Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C

|AC-7

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Surveyor 2

|Lunar lander

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|Spacecraft failed en route to the Moon.

10

|1966-10-26
11:12

|Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C

|AC-9

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Surveyor SD-4

|Test flight vehicle

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|Performed first ever liquid hydrogen rocket engine restart in space.

11

|1967-04-07
07:05

|Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C

|AC-12

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Surveyor 3

|Lunar lander

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|

12

|1967-07-14
11:53

|Atlas-Centaur-D LV-3C

|AC-11

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Surveyor 4

|Lunar lander

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|Spacecraft crash landed on the Moon.

13

|1967-09-08
07:57

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-13

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Surveyor 5

|Lunar lander

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|

14

|1967-11-07
07:39

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-14

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Surveyor 6

|Lunar lander

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|

15

|1968-01-07
06:30

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-15

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Surveyor 7

|Lunar lander

|HEO

|{{Success}}

|

16

|1968-08-10
22:33

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-17

|CCAFS LC-36A

|ATS-4

|Communication/Meteorology

|GEO (target)

|{{Partial failure}}

|Centaur stage failed to restart due to oxidizer leak.

17

|1968-12-07
08:40

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-16

|CCAFS LC-36B

|OAO-2

|High energy astronomy research

|LEO

|{{Success}}

|

|18

|1969-02-25
01:29

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-20

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Mariner 6

|Mars flyby probe

|IPT

|{{Success}}

19

|1969-03-27
22:22

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-19

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Mariner 7

|Mars flyby probe

|IPT

|{{Success}}

|

20

|1969-08-12
11:01

|Atlas-Centaur-D SLV-3C

|AC-18

|CCAFS LC-36A

|ATS-5

|Communication/Meteorology

|GEO

|{{Success}}

|

21

|1970-11-30
22:40:05

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-21

|CCAFS LC-36B

|OAO-B

|Astronomy

|LEO (target)

|{{Failure}}

|Payload fairing failed to separate

22

|1971-01-26
00:36:03

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-25

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat 4 F2

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

23

|1971-05-09
01:11:02

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-24

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Mariner 8

|Mars probe

|Heliocentric (target)

|{{Failure}}

|Damaged circuit board in Centaur resulted in control failure and engine shutdown at T+365 seconds.

24

|1971-12-20
01:10:04

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-26

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat 4 F3

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

25

|1972-01-23
00:12:04

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-28

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat 4 F4

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

26

|1972-03-03
01:49:04

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-27

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Pioneer 10

|Jupiter probe

|Heliocentric

|{{Success}}

|First probe to visit Jupiter
Solar System escape velocity achieved on Jupiter fly-by

27

|1972-06-13
21:53:04

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-29

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat 4 F5

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

28

|1972-08-21
10:28:02

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

|AC-22

|CCAFS LC-36B

|OAO-3

|Astronomy

|LEO

|{{Success}}

|Final flight of Atlas-Centaur SLV-3C

29

|1973-04-06
02:11:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-30

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Pioneer 11

|Planetary probe

|Heliocentric

|{{Success}}

|Maiden flight of Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D
First probe to visit Saturn
Solar System escape velocity achieved on Jupiter fly-by

30

|1973-08-23
22:57:02

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-31

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat 4 F7

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

31

|1973-11-03
05:45:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-34

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Mariner 10

|Planetary probe

|Heliocentric

|{{Success}}

|

32

|1974-11-21
23:43:59

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-32

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat 4 F8

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

33

|1975-02-20
23:35:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-33

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat 4 F6

|Comsat

|GTO (target)

|{{Failure}}

|Improper separation of a lanyard during booster jettison reset the Atlas programmer and caused erroneous flight path. RSO T+413 seconds.

34

|1975-05-22
22:04:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-35

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat 4 F1

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

35

|1975-09-26
00:17:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-36

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat 4A F1

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

36

|1976-01-29
23:56

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-37

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat 4A F2

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

37

|1976-05-13
22:28

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-38

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Comstar D1

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

38

|1976-07-22
22:04:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-40

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Comstar D2

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

39

|1977-05-26
21:47:01

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-39

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat 4A F4

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

40

|1977-08-12
06:29:31

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-45

|CCAFS LC-36B

|HEAO-1

|Astronomy

|LEO

|{{Success}}

|

41

|1977-09-30
01:02:59

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-43

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat 4A F5

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Failure}}

|Corroded plumbing resulted in a gas generator leak and thrust section fire during ascent. Vehicle self-destructed T+55 seconds.

42

|1978-01-07
00:15:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-46

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat 4A F3

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

43

|1978-02-09
21:17:01

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-44

|CCAFS LC-36A

|FLTSATCOM-1

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

44

|1978-03-31
23:36:01

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-48

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat 4A F6

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

45

|1978-05-20
13:13:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-50

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Pioneer Venus Orbiter

|Venus probe

|Heliocentric

|{{Success}}

|

46

|1978-06-29
22:24:59

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-41

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Comstar D3

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

47

|1978-08-08
07:33

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-51

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Pioneer Venus Multiprobe

|Venus probe

|Heliocentric

|{{Success}}

|

48

|1978-11-13
05:24

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-52

|CCAFS LC-36B

|HEAO-2

|Astronomy

|LEO

|{{Success}}

|

49

|4 May 1979
18:57:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-47

|CCAFS, LC-36A

|FLTSATCOM-2

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

50

|20 September 1979
05:28

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-53

|CCAFS, LC-36B

|HEAO-3

|Astronomy

|LEO

|{{Success}}

|

51

|1980-01-18
01:26:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-49

|CCAFS, LC-36A

|FLTSATCOM-3

|Communications satellite

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

52

|1980-10-31
03:54:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-57

|CCAFS, LC-36A

|FLTSATCOM-4

|Communications satellite

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

53

|1980-12-06
23:31:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-54

|CCAFS, LC-36B

|Intelsat V F-2

|COMSAT

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

54

|1981-02-21
23:23:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-42

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Comstar D4

|Communications satellite

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

55

|23 May 1981
22:42:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-56

|CCAFS, LC-36B

|Intelsat V F-1

|COMSAT

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

56

|1981-08-06
08:16:00

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-59

|CCAFS, LC-36A

|FLTSATCOM-5

|Communications satellite

|GTO

|{{Partial failure}}

|Fairing collapsed during ascent, damaging spacecraft

57

|1981-12-15
23:35

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-55

|CCAFS, LC-36B

|Intelsat V F-3

|COMSAT

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

58

|1982-03-05
00:23

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-58

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat V -504

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

59

|1982-09-28
23:17

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-60

|CCAFS LC-36B

|Intelsat V -505

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|

60

|1983-05-19
22:26

|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D

|AC-61

|CCAFS LC-36A

|Intelsat V -506

|Comsat

|GTO

|{{Success}}

|Final flight of the Atlas-Centaur rocket.

References

{{reflist}}

{{Atlas rockets}}

{{Spaceflight lists and timelines}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atlas-Centaur}}

Category:Expendable space launch systems

Category:Lists of rocket launches