Atlas B Media Gallery

First all-up version of Atlas ICBM, with jettisonable booster engines and single engine sustainer on core. '1 1/2' stage launch vehicle.

Historical Essay © Andreas Parsch

When Atlas A testing was completed in June 1958, flight tests continued with the XSM-65B Atlas B until December 1958. The XSM-65B tested all subsystems of the Atlas, including the full three-engine propulsion system. A maximum range of 10200 km (5500 nm) was reached.

Manufacturer: Convair. Launches: 10. Failures: 4. Success Rate: 60.00%. First Launch Date: 1958-07-19. Last Launch Date: 1959-02-04. Launch data is: complete. LEO Payload: 70 kg (154 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 32.00 degrees. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). Associated Spacecraft: Score. Liftoff Thrust: 1,587.200 kN (356,817 lbf). Total Mass: 110,740 kg (244,130 lb). Core Diameter: 3.05 m (10.00 ft). Total Length: 26.00 m (85.00 ft). Maximum range: 6,000 km (3,700 mi). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 14.210 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.

• Stage Number: 0. 1 x Stage: Atlas MA-2. Gross Mass: 3,050 kg (6,720 lb). Empty Mass: 3,050 kg (6,720 lb). Thrust (vac): 1,517.422 kN (341,130 lbf). Isp: 282 sec. Burn time: 135 sec. Isp(sl): 248 sec. Diameter: 4.90 m (16.00 ft). Span: 4.90 m (16.00 ft). Length: 0.00 m ( ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 2. Engine: XLR-89-5.

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Atlas B. Gross Mass: 107,610 kg (237,230 lb). Empty Mass: 3,980 kg (8,770 lb). Thrust (vac): 363.218 kN (81,655 lbf). Isp: 309 sec. Burn time: 240 sec. Isp(sl): 215 sec. Diameter: 3.05 m (10.00 ft). Span: 4.90 m (16.00 ft). Length: 21.90 m (71.80 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: XLR-105-5. Status: Out of production.

1957 September - Launch Vehicle: Atlas B.

• Scheduled design complete (95%) for Atlas B-series missiles Nation: USA. References: 4460.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First full-powered flight of USAF Atlas B ICBM using both the sustainer and booster engines. 'Marginally successful'. References: 1811.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). Second full-powered flight of USAF Atlas ICBM traveled 2,500 miles with radio-inertial guidance, fully successful. References: 17, 278, 1811.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). References: 1811.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). References: 1811.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 1811.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 800 km (490 mi). References: 1811.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). Less than 18 months after the first flight, a USAF Atlas made its first successful full-range operational test flight in a 6,325 statute-mile flight, landed close to its target. References: 17, 278, 1811.

• Score Nation: USA. Mass: 70 kg (154 lb). Class: Technology. Type: Comsat. Spacecraft: Score. Agency: DARPA. Perigee: 185 km (114 mi). Apogee: 1,484 km (922 mi). Inclination: 32.30 deg. Period: 101.50 min. COSPAR: 1958-Zeta-1. USAF Sat Cat: 10. Decay Date: 1959-01-21. Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment; first commsat; transmitted taped messages for 13 days. References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 278.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 1811.

• Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). Last Atlas B flight, fully successful References: 1811.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Koelle, Heinz Hermann,, Handbook of Astronautical Engineering, McGraw-Hill,New York, 1961. The only such comprehensive handbook ever produced, and at the dawn of the space age.

• Parsch, Andreas, DesignationSystems.Net, . Outstanding, unique reference for aircraft, missiles, propulsion, and avionics systems. Accessed at: http://www.designation-systems.net/.

• Walker, Chuck, with Powell, Joel, Atlas - The Ultimate Weapon, Apogee Books, Canada, 2005. ISBN: 1894959183. Another excellent Apogee Book, the only in-depth account of the design, development, and production of the rocket that was America's first ICBM, pioneered US spaceflight, and continued to take payloads into orbit into the next millenium. More at amazon.com...