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Atlas V

Atlas V is ULA’s modular expendable Atlas launch vehicle, combining a Common Core Booster with a Centaur upper stage, optional solid rocket boosters, and mission-specific payload accommodations. It entered service in 2002, completed its 110th flight in July 2026, and is flying out its remaining Starliner manifest in the N22 configuration.

Atlas V
“Atlas V (401) shortly after liftoff with RBSP on Board” by NASA / United Launch Alliance · Source
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Identity

Family Name
Atlas
Full Name
Atlas V
Status
active
Type
rocket
Variant Name
V

Details

Description
Atlas V is ULA’s modular expendable Atlas launch vehicle, combining a Common Core Booster with a Centaur upper stage, optional solid rocket boosters, and mission-specific payload accommodations. It entered service in 2002, completed its 110th flight in July 2026, and is flying out its remaining Starliner manifest in the N22 configuration.
Dimensions
Diameter M
3.81
First Flight Year
2,002
Manufacturer
Operator
Parent Vehicle Family
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 401
    Notes
    Four-metre fairing, no strap-on solids, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One Aerojet AJ-60A strap-on solid motor.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 411
    Notes
    Four-metre fairing, one AJ-60A, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two Aerojet AJ-60A strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 421
    Notes
    Four-metre fairing, two AJ-60A motors, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      3
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Three Aerojet AJ-60A strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10A-4-2 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 431
    Notes
    Four-metre fairing, three AJ-60A motors, single-engine Centaur; the 2010 ULA guide documents the RL10A-4-2 common Centaur propulsion boundary.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 501
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, no strap-on solids, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      One Northrop Grumman GEM 63 strap-on solid motor.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 511
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, one GEM 63, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two Aerojet AJ-60A strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10A-4-2 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 521
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, two AJ-60A motors, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      3
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Three Northrop Grumman GEM 63 strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 531 (NROL-101)
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, three GEM 63 motors, single-engine Centaur; inaugural GEM 63 Atlas flight.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      3
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Three Northrop Grumman GEM 63 strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 531 (SES-20/21)
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, three GEM 63 motors, single-engine Centaur with the later RL10C-1-1 variant.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      4
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Four Aerojet AJ-60A strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 541 (Mars 2020)
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, four AJ-60A motors, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      4
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Four Northrop Grumman GEM 63 strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 541 (GOES-T)
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, four GEM 63 motors, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      5
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Five Aerojet AJ-60A strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 551 (AEHF-4)
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, five AJ-60A motors, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      5
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Five Northrop Grumman GEM 63 strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RL10C-1 on the Centaur upper stage.
    Name
    Atlas V 551 (STP-3)
    Notes
    Five-metre fairing, five GEM 63 motors, single-engine Centaur.
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Single RD-180 on the Common Core Booster.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      booster
      Propulsion System
      Role
      booster
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      Two Aerojet AJ-60A strap-on solid motors.
    • Count
      2
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      Dual RL10A-4-2 engines on the Starliner Dual-Engine Centaur.
    Name
    Atlas V N22 (Starliner)
    Notes
    Crew-rated no-fairing configuration with two AJ-60A motors and the dual-engine Centaur; each upper-stage entry remains the exact RL10A-4-2 variant.
Rocket Specs
Reusability
expendable
Stages Count
2

Links

Official Url
https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/atlas-v
Wikipedia Url
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_V

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
April 26, 2026 at 14:21:48 UTC
Updated Time
August 20, 2026 at 08:09:41 UTC
Image
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