Atlas-Able
American expendable launch system
title: "Atlas-Able" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rockets-and-missiles", "atlas-(rocket-family)"] description: "American expendable launch system" topic_path: "general/rockets-and-missiles" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas-Able" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American expendable launch system ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox rocket"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Atlas-Able |
| image | Atlas-D Able - Pioneer P-3.jpg |
| caption | The Atlas-D Able rocket carrying Pioneer P-3, sitting on Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 14. |
| manufacturer | Convair Division of General Dynamics |
| country-origin | United States |
| status | Retired |
| sites | LC-12, 13 & 14, Cape Canaveral |
| fail | 3 |
| launches | 3 |
| first | 26 November 1959 |
| last | 15 December 1960 |
| height | 28 m (91 ft) |
| diameter | 3.05 m (10 ft) |
| stages | 3.5 |
| type | stage |
| stageno | Booster |
| number | 1 |
| name | Half Stage |
| length | |
| diameter | |
| width | |
| empty | |
| gross | |
| engines | 2 |
| thrust | 300000 lbf |
| Atlas D | |
| total | 360000 lbf |
| Atlas D | |
| SI | |
| burntime | |
| fuel | RP-1/LOX |
| type | stage |
| stageno | First |
| name | Sustainer |
| length | |
| diameter | |
| empty | |
| gross | |
| engines | 1 |
| thrust | 60000 lbf |
| Atlas D | |
| SI | |
| burntime | |
| fuel | RP-1/LOX |
| type | stage |
| stageno | Second |
| name | Able |
| engines | 1 AJ10-37 |
| thrust | 7800 lbf |
| SI | 270 |
| burntime | 115 |
| fuel | Nitric Acid / UDMH |
| type | stage |
| stageno | Third |
| name | Altair |
| engines | 1 |
| fuel | solid |
| location | Trans-lunar injection |
| kilos | 168 kg |
| :: |
|name = Atlas-Able
|image = Atlas-D Able - Pioneer P-3.jpg
|caption = The Atlas-D Able rocket carrying Pioneer P-3, sitting on Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 14.
|manufacturer = Convair Division of General Dynamics
|country-origin = United States
|status = Retired
|sites = LC-12, 13 & 14, Cape Canaveral
|fail = 3
|launches = 3
|first = 26 November 1959
|last = 15 December 1960
|height=28 m (91 ft)
|diameter=3.05 m (10 ft)
|stages = 3.5
|type = stage
|stageno = Booster
|number = 1
|name = Half Stage
|length =
|diameter =
|width =
|empty =
|gross =
|engines = 2
|thrust = 300000 lbf
Atlas D
|total = 360000 lbf
Atlas D
|SI =
|burntime =
|fuel = RP-1/LOX
|type = stage
|stageno = First
|name = Sustainer
|length =
|diameter =
|empty =
|gross =
|engines = 1
|thrust = 60000 lbf
Atlas D
|SI =
|burntime =
|fuel = RP-1/LOX
|type = stage
|stageno = Second
|name = Able
|engines = 1 AJ10-37
|thrust = 7800 lbf
|SI = 270
|burntime = 115
|fuel = Nitric Acid / UDMH
|type = stage
|stageno = Third
|name = Altair
|engines = 1
|fuel = solid
|capacities =
|location = Trans-lunar injection
|kilos = 168 kg
The Atlas-Able was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch several Pioneer spacecraft towards the Moon. Of the five Atlas-Able rockets built, two failed during static firings, and the other three failed to reach orbit.
The Atlas-Able was a three-and-a-half-stage rocket, with a stage-and-a-half Atlas missile as the first stage, an Able second stage, and an Altair third stage.
The first Atlas-Able used an Atlas C as the first stage, and was intended to carry Pioneer P-1, but exploded during a static fire test on 24 September 1959.
The remaining Pioneer launches used Atlas D missiles. Launches were conducted from Launch Complexes 12 and 14 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. One launch was planned from Launch Complex 13; this became the second Atlas-Able to be destroyed during a static firing, and hence never launched.
Launches
::data[format=table title="Launches of Atlas-Able"]
| Date | Serial No. | Mission | Launch Site | Outcome | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Atlas 9C | Pioneer P-1 | LC-12 | Failure. Explosion during a static fire test. | [[File:Atlas C Able.JPG |
| 26 November 1959 | Atlas 20D | Pioneer P-3 | LC-14 | 24}} | [[File:Atlas Able 1959 Nov 26.JPG |
| 25 September 1960 | Atlas 80D | Pioneer P-30 | LC-12 | Failure. A propellant feed on the second stage had a malfunction. | [[File:Atlas-Able.jpg |
| 15 December 1960 | Atlas 91D | Pioneer P-31 | LC-12 | Failure. Vibration and/or debris from the Able adapter section ruptured the liquid oxygen tank of Atlas, causing an explosion. | [[File:Atlas Able 1960 Dec 15.jpg |
| :: |
References
References
- Wade. (2008-08-14). "Atlas".
- Krebs, Gunter D.. "Atlas-D Able".
- Krebs, Gunter D.. "Atlas-C Able".
- LePage, Andrew. (December 13, 2010). "The Pioneer lunar orbiters: a forgotten failure".
- (September 24, 1959). "U.S. Moon Rocket Blows Up in Static Test". Tulare Advance-Register.
- (September 26, 1960). "U.S. Fails In Pioneer Shot". Standard-Speaker.
- Siddiqi, A.A.. (2002). "Deep Space Chronicle (SP-2002-4524)". NASA.
- Finney, John W.. (December 17, 1960). "Reach of U.S. Scientists Into Space Still Exceeds Grasp Of Their Rockets". The Bangor Daily News.
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