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Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle family

Atlas-Centaur was the cryogenic branch of the Atlas launch-vehicle lineage, pairing pressure-stabilized Atlas boosters with the liquid-hydrogen Centaur upper stage. From Centaur development flights beginning in 1962 through Atlas I, II, and III, the family launched lunar Surveyors, planetary probes, scientific spacecraft, communications satellites, weather satellites, and national-security payloads.

Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle family
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 CentaurAtlas/CentaurAtlas-Centaur lineage
Family Name
Atlas-Centaur
Full Name
Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle family
Status
retired
Type
rocket

Details

Description
Atlas-Centaur was the cryogenic branch of the Atlas launch-vehicle lineage, pairing pressure-stabilized Atlas boosters with the liquid-hydrogen Centaur upper stage. From Centaur development flights beginning in 1962 through Atlas I, II, and III, the family launched lunar Surveyors, planetary probes, scientific spacecraft, communications satellites, weather satellites, and national-security payloads.
First Flight Year
1,962
Last Flight Year
2,005
Manufacturer
Parent Vehicle Family
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact LR-89-NA-7 booster engines in the Atlas I MA-5 propulsion package.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact LR-105-NA-7 sustainer engine in the Atlas I MA-5 propulsion package.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two MA-5 vernier engines; the source-backed canonical record intentionally remains generic rather than inventing a dash-number.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact RL10A-3-3A engines on the Atlas I Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas I
    Notes
    Commercial Atlas I branch: MA-5 propulsion with two LR-89-NA-7 booster engines, one LR-105-NA-7 sustainer, two generic MA-5 vernier engines, and two RL10A-3-3A Centaur engines.
  • Entries
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact LR-89-NA-7 booster engines in the MA-5A first-stage propulsion package.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact LR-105-NA-7 sustainer engine in the MA-5A first-stage propulsion package.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact RL10A-3-3A engines on the Atlas II Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas II
    Notes
    Atlas II branch: MA-5A first-stage propulsion with two LR-89-NA-7 booster engines and one LR-105-NA-7 sustainer, plus two RL10A-3-3A Centaur engines.
  • Entries
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact LR-89-NA-7 booster engines in the MA-5A first-stage propulsion package.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact LR-105-NA-7 sustainer engine in the MA-5A first-stage propulsion package.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact RL10A-4 engines on the Atlas IIA Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas IIA
    Notes
    Atlas IIA branch: the MA-5A package with two LR-89-NA-7 booster engines and one LR-105-NA-7 sustainer, plus two RL10A-4 Centaur engines.
  • Entries
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact LR-89-NA-7 booster engines in the MA-5A first-stage propulsion package.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact LR-105-NA-7 sustainer engine in the MA-5A first-stage propulsion package.
    • Count
      4
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Four exact CASTOR IVA solid strap-on motors on Atlas IIAS.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact RL10A-4 engines on the Atlas IIAS Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas IIAS
    Notes
    Atlas IIAS branch: the MA-5A package, four CASTOR IVA solid strap-on motors, and two RL10A-4 Centaur engines.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact RD-180 on the Atlas III redesigned first stage.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact RL10A-4-1B on the Atlas IIIA single-engine Centaur.
    Name
    Atlas IIIA
    Notes
    Atlas IIIA branch: one RD-180 on the redesigned booster and one exact RL10A-4-1B on the single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact RD-180 on the Atlas III redesigned first stage.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact RL10A-4-1B on the Atlas IIIB single-engine Common Centaur option.
    Name
    Atlas IIIB (single-engine Centaur)
    Notes
    Atlas IIIB single-engine Centaur option: one RD-180 and one RL10A-4-1B.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One exact RD-180 on the Atlas III redesigned first stage.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two exact RL10A-4-1B engines on the Atlas IIIB dual-engine Common Centaur option.
    Name
    Atlas IIIB (dual-engine Centaur)
    Notes
    Atlas IIIB dual-engine Centaur option: one RD-180 and two RL10A-4-1B engines.
Rocket Specs
Reusability
expendable
Stages Count
2
Strap On Boosters Count
0

Links

Official Url
https://www.nasa.gov/rocket-systems-area-centaur-program/

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 14, 2026 at 06:51:22 UTC
Updated Time
August 1, 2026 at 13:54:52 UTC
Image
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