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Atlas-Able launch vehicle

Atlas-Able was a three-stage American lunar launch vehicle combining an Atlas D booster with Able upper stages. NASA and the U.S. Air Force Ballistic Missile Division used three flight vehicles for the Pioneer P-3, P-30, and P-31 lunar-orbiter attempts in 1959 and 1960; all three attempts failed before completing their planned missions.

Atlas-Able launch vehicle
NASA/Bill Ingalls · Stored/public JPEG is byte-identical to the NASA canonical 201108050008HQ large asset (1279x1920, SHA-256 54592683e90ae091eefed5173f1276a07ae2326599475516c32c208dbfd60e1c). NASA Images API metadata identifies the exact image as Atlas V Rocket Launches with Juno Spacecraft, photographed by NASA/Bill Ingalls, and describes the Atlas V/Juno launch from Space Launch Complex 41 on August 5, 2011. NASA current Images and Media Usage Guidelines state that NASA content may be used factually or informationally with NASA acknowledged, while NASA-hosted third-party content is marked and NASA use does not convey rights; commercial use must not imply endorsement and NASA logos and identifiers remain protected: https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-brand-center/images-and-media/. This is an asset-level, conservative factual/editorial reuse basis with NASA/Bill Ingalls attribution, not a blanket license for promotional content, merchandise, NASA branding, or endorsement. · Source
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Identity

Aliases
Atlas AbleAtlas-Able lunar launch vehicle
Family Name
Atlas-Able
Full Name
Atlas-Able launch vehicle
Status
retired
Type
rocket
Variant Name
Atlas-Able

Details

Description
Atlas-Able was a three-stage American lunar launch vehicle combining an Atlas D booster with Able upper stages. NASA and the U.S. Air Force Ballistic Missile Division used three flight vehicles for the Pioneer P-3, P-30, and P-31 lunar-orbiter attempts in 1959 and 1960; all three attempts failed before completing their planned missions.
Dimensions
Diameter M
3.05
First Flight Year
1,959
Last Flight Year
1,960
Manufacturer
Operator
Parent Vehicle Family
Rocket Specs
Reusability
expendable
Stages Count
3
Strap On Boosters Count
0

Links

Official Url
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/pioneer-p-3-able-4b/

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 18, 2026 at 20:22:00 UTC
Updated Time
July 19, 2026 at 09:43:21 UTC
Image
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Search Name
Atlas-Able launch vehicle Atlas Able Atlas-Able lunar launch vehicle