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Atlas III
The maiden flight of the Atlas III
FunctionMedium expendable launch vehicle
ManufacturerLockheed Martin
Country of originUnited States
Size
Height52.8 m (173 ft)
Diameter3.05 m (10.0 ft)
Mass214,338 kg (472,534 lb)
Stages2
Capacity
Payload to 185 km 28.5° Low Earth orbit
MassIIIA: 8,686 kg (19,149 lb)
IIIB: 10,759 kg (23,720 lb)[1]
Payload to Geostationary transfer orbit
MassIIIA: 4,060 kg (8,950 lb)
IIIB: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb)[1]
Payload to 185 km 90° Polar orbit
MassIIIA: 7,162 kg (15,790 lb)
IIIB: 9,212 kg (20,309 lb)[1]
Associated rockets
FamilyAtlas
Launch history
StatusRetired
Launch sites
Total launches6
(IIIA: 2, IIIB: 4)
Success(es)6
(IIIA: 2, IIIB: 4)[2]
First flightIIIA: 24 May 2000
IIIB: 21 February 2002
Last flightIIIA: 13 March 2004
IIIB: 3 February 2005
First stage
Powered by1 RD-180
Maximum thrust4,148.7 kN (932,700 lbf)
Specific impulse311 s (3.05 km/s)
Burn time132 seconds
PropellantRP-1 / LOX
Second stage (Atlas IIIA/IIIB) – Centaur (SEC)
Powered by1 RL-10A
Maximum thrust99.2 kN (22,300 lbf)
Specific impulse451 s (4.42 km/s)
Burn time738 seconds
PropellantLH2 / LOX
Second stage (Atlas IIIB) – Centaur (DEC)
Powered by2 RL-10A
Maximum thrust147 kN (33,000 lbf)
Specific impulse449 s (4.40 km/s)
Burn time392 seconds
PropellantLH2 / LOX
[edit on Wikidata]

The Atlas III (known as the Atlas II-AR (R for Russian) early in development [3]) was an American orbital launch vehicle, used in the years between 2000 and 2005.[4] It was developed from the highly successful Atlas II rocket and shared many components.[1] It was the first member of the Atlas family since the Atlas A to feature a "normal" staging method, compared to the previous Atlas family members, which were equipped with two jettisonable outboard engines on the first (booster) stage (with a single center engine serving as the sustainer). The Atlas III was developed further to create the Atlas V.

Description

[edit]

The Atlas III was developed from the highly successful Atlas II rocket and consisted of two stages. The first stage was heavily modified from Atlas II, and the upper stage remained the Centaur. The Atlas III was produced in two versions. The baseline was the Atlas IIIA, but the Atlas IIIB, featuring a stretched twin-engine version of the Centaur upper stage, was also produced.[2]

First stage

[edit]
An RD-180 engine undergoes a test firing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in November 1998.

The first stage of Atlas III was derived from that of Atlas II. Its propellant tanks were 3 m (9.8 ft) longer than those on Atlas II, making more propellant available to the engine and increasing the vehicle's performance. Over 183 tons of RP-1 and liquid oxygen propellants were stored inside the tanks. The storied "stage-and-a-half" system used on all Atlas rockets from Atlas B to Atlas II, where three engines are lit on the ground, and two of them are dropped away during flight, was replaced by a single Russian RD-180 engine, boasting higher thrust and efficiency than previous engines. Unlike Atlas II and the later Atlas V, there was no option for solid rocket motors to be added to the first stage. 12 retrorockets were mounted on the stage to aid in separating it from Centaur during flight.[1]

The first stage continued to make use of the balloon tank technology of previous Atlas rockets, where the stainless-steel tank walls were thin and had to remain pressurized in order to not collapse. The tanks were pressurized with helium gas, which was stored in 13 bottles throughout the stage.[1]

The first stage was unchanged between the Atlas IIIA and IIIB variants.

The Atlas Roll Control Module, which contained several hydrazine thrusters and helped maintain roll stability on Atlas II, was removed on the Atlas III. The dual-chamber RD-180 was therefore responsible for gimballing to control the rocket's pitch, yaw, and roll during first-stage flight.[1]

Centaur second stage

[edit]
Main article: Centaur (rocket stage)

The second stage of Atlas III was the Centaur. It was powered by one or two Pratt & Whitney (later Aerojet Rocketdyne) RL-10 engines, fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Compared to the Atlas II, the added thrust and efficiency of the first stage of Atlas III allowed for one RL-10 engine to be removed from Centaur, and Atlas III was the first Atlas to offer a single-engine Centaur. The engines of a dual-engine Centaur were mounted directly on the aft propellant tank bulkhead, whereas the engine on a single-engine Centaur was mounted on a specially made beam connected to those existing dual-engine mounts. The single-engine Centaur featured an RL-10A-4-1 engine with a 51 cm (20 in) extendible nozzle, which increased the engine's thrust by 1.4 kN and specific impulse by 6.5 seconds.[1]

Centaur hosted the vehicle's avionics and flight computers and controlled the entire flight. The RL-10 engine on the single-engine Centaur featured electromechanical gimballing, as opposed to the hydraulic gimballing on other variants.[1]

The tanks of Centaur were balloon tanks like the first stage, made from stainless steel. PVC foam insulation was installed on the outside of the tank walls to help limit propellant boiloff inside the tanks.[1]

Two variants of Centaur flew on Atlas III:

  • Centaur II, which flew on Atlas IIIA, was only offered with one RL-10 engine. This stage is nearly identical to the Centaur II of Atlas II, with the only major difference being only one engine attached.[5]
  • Centaur III, aka Common Centaur, which flew on Atlas IIIB, was available with one or two RL-10 engines. Its tanks were 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) longer than those of the Centaur II, offering a substantial increase in propellant capacity and increasing the stage's performance.[1] This stage would later fly on the Atlas V.[5]

Flying a mission on an Atlas IIIB with a dual-engine Centaur provided a nearly 400 kg boost in payload capability to geostationary transfer orbit compared to using a single-engine Centaur.[1]

An Extended Mission Kit (EMK) was available for Centaur. This kit included additional helium bottles, radiation shielding on the LOX tank and electronics, and thermal paint to maintain stable temperatures for electronics.[1]

Payload fairing

[edit]

Two aluminum fairing models (which previously flew on the Atlas II) were available for the Atlas III, both with a 4.2 m (14 ft) diameter:[1][5]

  • Large, with a height of 12.2 m (40 ft) and a mass of 2,087 kg (4,601 lb)
  • Extended, with a height of 13.1 m (43 ft) and a mass of 2,255 kg (4,971 lb)

Fairing selection had a small but noticeable impact on the performance of Atlas III. For example, when going to a 185 km (115 mi) low Earth orbit, flying with the Extended payload fairing would reduce the payload capacity by around 45 kg (99 lb) compared to flying with the Large payload fairing.[1]

Both fairing options were still flown on the Atlas V rocket until 2022.[6] For the Atlas V, these fairings were part of the 400-series of that rocket, and a further extended option ("Extra Extended") was available.[1][7]

Launches

[edit]

The first flight of the Atlas III occurred on 24 May 2000, launching the Eutelsat W4 communications satellite into a geosynchronous orbit.[8] All Atlas III launches were made from Space Launch Complex 36B at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), which at that time was called Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). The Atlas III made its sixth and final flight on 3 February 2005, with a classified payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office.[9][10] Although its career was short, Atlas III performed 6 successful missions with no failures.

Proposed derivatives

[edit]

The GX rocket, formerly under development by Galaxy Express Corporation, was originally intended to use the boost stage of the Atlas III, provided by Lockheed-Martin, and a newly designed upper stage. It would have launched from the Tanegashima Space Center, south of Kyūshū, Japan. In December 2009, the Japanese government decided to cancel the GX project.[11]

The Atlas III first stage was considered as a Removable Propulsion Module (RPM) for the Starbooster concept. [12]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Atlas III

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Atlas III was an American expendable launch vehicle developed by for placing satellites into (LEO) and geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), operational from 2000 to 2005 with a total of six launches. Development of the Atlas III began in the mid-1990s as an evolution of the family, initially designated as the Atlas II-AR (with "AR" denoting the incorporation of a Russian RD-180 engine to replace the older American Rocketdyne MA-5 booster and sustainer engines). The program was approved in November 1995 and renamed Atlas III in April 1998, aiming to provide a cost-effective, single-booster stage design with improved performance through the high-thrust , which delivered approximately 860,200 pounds of thrust using (LOX) and RP-1 kerosene. The upper stage, known as , utilized RL10 engines burning LOX and (LH2), marking the last use of the balloon-tank structure in the Atlas lineage before the transition to more rigid designs in subsequent vehicles. The Atlas III family consisted of two main variants: the Atlas IIIA, which featured a single RL10A-4-1 engine on the stage producing 22,300 pounds of , and the Atlas IIIB, upgraded with dual RL10A-4-2 engines for enhanced upper-stage performance. Both variants measured about 52.8 meters in height and 3.05 meters in diameter, with gross masses ranging from 214,338 kg for the IIIA to 218,588 kg for the IIIB, and supported fairings up to 12 feet 6 inches in usable diameter. capacities varied by variant and mission profile: the IIIA could deliver up to 8,640 kg to LEO or 4,055 kg to GTO, while the IIIB increased this to 10,718 kg for LEO and 4,500 kg for GTO. All launches occurred from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 36B, with the IIIA conducting two missions between May 2000 and March 2004, and the IIIB handling four from February 2002 to February 2005. Notable missions included the debut IIIA flight on May 24, 2000, which successfully deployed the communications satellite, and IIIB launches carrying commercial satellites such as Echostar 7, AsiaSat 4, and military payloads like USA-174 and USA-181. The vehicle's integration of the Russian represented a significant international collaboration during a period of post-Cold War partnerships, though it faced scrutiny over geopolitical implications. Despite its technical successes and reliability—all six launches were nominal—the Atlas III was retired in 2005 due to insufficient commercial demand and the rapid advancement to the more capable , which offered greater payload flexibility and no reliance on foreign engines for core stages.

Development

Origins and Background

The Atlas III emerged as an evolutionary step from the family of launch vehicles, which relied on a dual-engine booster and sustainer configuration using the Rocketdyne MA-5 system. To address rising operational costs and enhance reliability, pursued a single-engine design for the first stage, replacing the MA-5 with the more powerful Russian engine, which provided equivalent thrust from a single unit while simplifying the architecture. This shift aimed to lower and integration expenses, making the vehicle more competitive for medium-lift missions. Development of the Atlas III began in the mid-1990s as a privately funded initiative by , then the prime contractor for the Atlas program, to capture a larger share of the burgeoning commercial satellite launch market. On January 17, 1996, Lockheed Martin selected the engine from Russia's to power the first stage. The program was announced publicly around 1997-1998, with initial plans targeting a debut flight in summer 1998, though delays pushed this to 2000. Motivated by the need for cost-effective access to geosynchronous transfer orbits (GTO) for heavier communications satellites, the vehicle was positioned as a bridge between the and the forthcoming under the U.S. Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The project's origins were shaped by post-Cold War fiscal pressures, including reduced defense spending and the imperative to diversify into commercial operations following the Soviet Union's dissolution in , which opened avenues for U.S.-Russian technical collaboration. The incorporation of the , sourced from Russia's , exemplified this , enabling Lockheed Martin to leverage advanced propulsion without the full burden of domestic engine development costs. Initially designated as the Atlas II-AR—"A" for Atlas and "R" for the Russian engine—the vehicle retained the proven upper stage heritage from prior Atlas models to ensure compatibility with existing payloads.

Design Evolution and Innovations

The Atlas III marked a pivotal in the Atlas family, transitioning from the dual-engine configuration of the Atlas II's MA-5A booster engines to a single engine developed by Russia's . This shift, initiated in the mid-1990s as part of Lockheed Martin's efforts to enhance performance and reduce complexity for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, replaced the two MA-5A booster engines, which together produced approximately 430,000 pounds of , with the 's dual chambers delivering a combined 860,000 pounds of at . The 's design, featuring two gimbaled nozzles for , addressed stability challenges inherent in a single-engine setup by maintaining symmetric distribution and enabling precise attitude control during ascent, thereby improving overall vehicle reliability from 0.9876 to 0.9955. Development of the Atlas III accelerated in the late , with initial flight hardware integration for the first stage occurring in 1999 following the completion of engine development and qualification. Originally slated for a maiden launch in 1998 or early 1999, preparations faced significant delays due to extensive engine qualification testing and integration challenges, pushing the debut to May 2000. These delays ensured the 's compatibility with the Atlas booster structure, including and systems, while paving the way for its reuse in the subsequent . Key innovations in the Atlas III included a 3-meter extension on the first stage's propellant tanks, enabling greater payload capacity without major structural redesigns. This stretch maintained the vehicle's overall height at 52.8 meters and liftoff mass of approximately 214,000 kilograms while optimizing ascent efficiency. Ground testing played a crucial role in validating these changes, with hot-fire demonstrations conducted at NASA's from 1997 to 1999, including full-duration burns integrated with prototype Atlas III booster hardware to assess plume characteristics, performance, and environmental impacts. Additional tests at Vandenberg Air Force Base and evaluated launch pad compatibility and single-engine dynamics. The U.S. Air Force's process for the Atlas III, completed in the late as a bridge to full EELV certification, verified its suitability for payloads through rigorous subsystem reviews, risk assessments, and demonstration flights. This approval allowed the to support classified NRO launches and other military payloads, confirming compliance with assured access to space requirements before transitioning to the .

Design

Booster Stage

The Atlas III booster stage, designated as the Common Core Booster (CCB), was derived from the Atlas IIAS vehicle's first stage design, replacing the traditional booster-sustainer engine arrangement with a more efficient single-engine configuration while retaining the core structural philosophy. It utilized thin-walled balloon tanks for storing (refined kerosene) fuel and (LOX) oxidizer, with the tanks maintained under internal pressurization to provide structural rigidity during flight. The CCB measured 29 meters in length and 3.05 meters in diameter, enabling it to carry approximately 190 metric tons of propellants. Propulsion for the booster was provided by a single engine, a dual-combustor, dual-nozzle design manufactured by Russia's and supplied through the RD AMROSS joint venture with . The engine operated on an oxygen-rich using and propellants, delivering 3,827 kN of thrust at and 4,152 kN in vacuum, with a specific impulse of 311 seconds at . It featured a single high-pressure assembly feeding both combustion chambers, which could gimbal independently for three-axis control, and included throttling capability from 47% to 100% power to manage aerodynamic loads during ascent. Key structural elements included an aluminum interstage adapter that connected the booster to upper stage and employed a flexible linear-shaped charge for clean separation after burnout. The avionics bay, located at the base of the booster, housed guidance, , control, and systems, with overall vehicle sequencing managed by the 's avionics pod. The booster burned for 157 seconds, providing initial ascent before staging.

Centaur Upper Stage

The Centaur upper stage of the Atlas III rocket utilizes cryogenic (LH2) and (LOX) propellants stored in pressure-stabilized tanks. These thin-walled tanks are designed for high efficiency and structural integrity under the pressures required for expulsion, with the system employing a pressurant fed from four /epoxy composite spheres mounted on the aft bulkhead. This pressure-fed architecture avoids the complexity of turbopumps, contributing to the stage's high reliability and restart capability for multiple burns during orbital insertion. Configuration varies between the Atlas IIIA and IIIB variants to optimize performance for different payload classes. The IIIA employs a single RL10A-4-1B engine, delivering 99.2 kN of vacuum , a of 451 seconds, and a burn time of approximately 18 minutes to achieve efficient velocity increments. The IIIB configuration upgrades to dual RL10A-4-1B engines, providing combined vacuum of 198.4 kN while maintaining the same , enabling support for heavier s through increased propulsion authority during ascent and insertion phases. These engines, which operate on an , allow for precise control and multiple restarts essential for complex trajectories to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). Avionics and attitude control systems ensure stable operation throughout the mission. An provides three-axis stabilization and navigation data, while a using hydrazine-fueled thrusters handles fine attitude adjustments, roll control, and velocity corrections during coast periods. Performance metrics demonstrate the stage's effectiveness, with the IIIA capable of injecting 4,055 kg into GTO and the IIIB up to 4,500 kg, reflecting optimizations for commercial and government missions. The design for builds on heritage from the upper stage, incorporating enhancements such as a reinforced interstage adapter to accommodate the dynamic loads from separation of the . This adaptation maintains structural margins during the transition to upper stage ignition following booster separation.

Payload Fairing and Accommodations

The system provides protective enclosure for satellites during ascent through the atmosphere, interfacing directly with the upper stage to ensure secure integration. The fairing options consist of two aluminum structures with a 4.2-meter , designed for compatibility with commercial and military : the large (LPF), measuring 12.2 meters in length and weighing 2,087 kilograms, and the extended (EPF), measuring 13.1 meters in length and weighing 2,255 kilograms. These fairings feature a two-half-shell configuration with vertical split-line longerons, offering lightweight yet robust protection against aerodynamic loads and heating. The jettison sequence for the occurs via pyrotechnic separation systems, typically at approximately 3 minutes and 38 seconds after liftoff, corresponding to an altitude of around 110 kilometers during the Centaur upper stage burn. This timing ensures the fairing is discarded once atmospheric heating subsides, minimizing exposure to the while the vehicle transitions to operations. Payload adapter fittings on the Atlas III support versatile integration, with standard diameters of 1,575 millimeters and 1,882 millimeters to accommodate both commercial and spacecraft configurations. These adapters provide the mechanical, electrical, and fluid interfaces between the Centaur stage and the , enabling secure mounting and separation. Environmental accommodations within the fairing system include through the payload adapters to dampen dynamic loads during launch, thermal protection via the fairing's insulating to maintain stable temperatures, and access doors for pre-launch integration and verification of the . These features ensure survivability under ascent conditions, with the fairing's design attenuating acoustic and aeroacoustic environments. The mass budgets for the fairing options directly influence overall payload capacity; for instance, the extended fairing's additional 168 kilograms compared to the large fairing reduces (GTO) payload capability by approximately 200 kilograms, accounting for the structural mass penalty. This trade-off allows selection based on payload volume needs while optimizing performance margins.

Launch History

Commercial Launches

The Atlas III conducted four commercial launches during its operational history, all successful. The debut flight occurred on May 24, 2000, when an Atlas IIIA (AC-201) lifted off from Space Launch Complex 36B (SLC-36B) at Air Force Station, , carrying the W4 . The mission was procured through International Launch Services (ILS), a involving Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services, Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, and RSC Energia, which marketed Atlas and Proton launch capabilities. Eutelsat W4, weighing 3,190 kg at launch and constructed by Alcatel Space based on the Spacebus-3000B2 platform, was destined for geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) to support European television broadcasting services. Following separation from the Atlas IIIA's upper stage—equipped with a single engine—the satellite performed its own maneuvers to reach at 36 degrees East, where it provided 31 Ku-band transponders for direct-to-home broadcasting and other telecommunications across , , and the . The launch achieved full success with no reported anomalies, marking the of the Atlas III family as well as the debut of a U.S. using the Russian main engine on its first stage. W4 operated for over 15 years beyond its designed 12-year lifespan before being replaced in 2015. The first Atlas IIIB flight, AC-204, launched EchoStar 7 on February 21, 2002, from SLC-36B. EchoStar 7, built by on the A2100AX platform with a mass of approximately 1,450 kg, was placed into GTO for direct broadcast services over . The mission was successful. On April 12, 2003, Atlas IIIB AC-205 deployed AsiaSat 4 from SLC-36B. The 3,372 kg Hughes HS-601HP satellite, operated by Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company, was inserted into GTO to provide C- and Ku-band coverage for , , and the Pacific. The launch was nominal. The second and final Atlas IIIA mission, AC-202, occurred on March 13, 2004, launching MBSat (also known as Sakura 2 or JC-SAT-9) from SLC-36B. This 4,000 kg 601HP satellite, a between and , provided mobile and broadcast services in the region after reaching . The flight was successful.

Government Launches

The Atlas III conducted two missions for the U.S. government from SLC-36B at Station, , both successful and contributing to the vehicle's 100% success rate. One was for the U.S. Navy, and one for the (NRO). On December 18, 2003, an Atlas IIIB (AC-203) launched the UHF Follow-On Flight 11 (UFO F11, USA-174) satellite. This communications satellite, weighing about 2,900 kg, was placed into GTO to enhance ultra-high frequency communications for military operations. The mission met all objectives. The final Atlas III mission, NROL-23, lifted off on February 3, , aboard an Atlas IIIB (AC-206). This NRO payload consisted of two (NOSS) satellites (Intruder 5 and 6, part of USA-181), with a combined mass of approximately 6,500 kg, deployed to a high-inclination LEO for ship and tracking. The launch was successful despite dense fog at liftoff.

Retirement and Derivatives

Discontinuation Reasons

The Atlas III was retired following its sixth and final launch on February 3, 2005, carrying a classified payload, as there were no additional orders due to the program's transition to the more capable vehicle, which provided enhanced flexibility through optional solid rocket boosters and multiple upper stage configurations. The six successful flights served as a critical validation bridge, demonstrating key technologies like the single-engine and integration that informed development under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. Economic considerations played a significant role in the discontinuation, including the substantial upfront costs for engine integration and vehicle modifications, with alone investing nearly $100 million in engine adaptation while the broader EELV effort allocated around $500 million to Lockheed Martin's Atlas development activities; these expenses, combined with limited market demand evidenced by only three commercial launches out of six total missions (for customers like , AsiaSat, and ), reduced its viability in a competitive . Geopolitical risks associated with dependence on Russian-sourced engines, originally selected for their superior performance and lower cost over domestic alternatives, further complicated long-term sustainment amid emerging U.S. policy concerns over foreign supply chains. Performance limitations also contributed, as the Atlas III's maximum geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) payload capacity of approximately 4,500 kg (IIIB variant) proved insufficient for the increasingly massive telecommunications satellites entering the market, where competitors like the ECA variant offered up to 10,500 kg to GTO, capturing more high-value contracts. Following the program's end, Space Launch Complex 36B at was decommissioned for Atlas operations and later leased to in 2015, with the first launch from the site occurring on January 16, 2025, followed by additional missions such as NASA's ESCAPADE on November 13, 2025.

Proposed Variants and Successors

Following the limited production run of the Atlas III, several unbuilt variants and concepts were proposed in the early to extend its capabilities and adapt it for international collaborations or reusability enhancements. One prominent proposal was the GX rocket, a joint U.S.- project initiated in the early by Galaxy Express Corporation, , and , which aimed to combine the Atlas III's first-stage booster—powered by the engine—with a Japanese H-IIA-derived upper stage for medium-lift missions to and sun-synchronous orbits. The collaboration leveraged Lockheed Martin's lightweight technology from the Atlas III to reduce costs, with initial development starting in 2003 and a planned debut launch targeted for 2006, though delays pushed this to 2011 due to engine redesigns and rising expenses that doubled the original 45 billion yen budget to approximately 70 billion yen. The project was ultimately cancelled in December 2009 by the Japanese government, citing funding shortfalls, technical challenges, and a lack of commercial demand overshadowed by the successful H-IIA rocket. Other concepts explored enhancements to the Atlas III platform itself, including integration as a Removable Propulsion Module (RPM) in the StarBooster system proposed by Starcraft Boosters, Inc., in 1999, which envisioned the Atlas III's RD-180-powered first stage fitting within a reusable air-launched booster fuselage for hybrid vertical and horizontal flight profiles up to Mach 6. This reusable configuration, including planned vertical flight tests with partial and full propellant loads, was considered to enable cost-effective payload delivery to but was ultimately dropped amid evolving priorities toward fully expendable systems and ITAR export restrictions. Additionally, variants with expanded options—beyond the standard 4-meter diameter—were briefly evaluated to accommodate larger satellites, though none advanced beyond conceptual studies due to the platform's impending transition to successors. The direct evolutionary successor to the Atlas III was the Atlas V, which debuted successfully in 2002 and built upon the Atlas III's core architecture by incorporating optional solid rocket boosters (SRBs) for added thrust, refinements to the RD-180 engine for improved throttling and reliability, and enhanced Centaur upper stage configurations. By November 2025, the Atlas V had achieved over 100 launches, demonstrating a success rate exceeding 98 percent and becoming the workhorse for U.S. national security and scientific missions. The Atlas III's qualification of the engine in 2000 laid critical groundwork for the 's sustained operational role, enabling reliable performance on high-profile (NRO) and payloads such as the mission to and numerous GPS satellites, while boosting overall vehicle reliability from 98.76 percent to 99.55 percent. This legacy persisted despite U.S. congressional efforts since 2014 to phase out Russian-sourced engines due to geopolitical tensions, supporting an ongoing phaseout of the in favor of the BE-4-powered , which entered operational service in 2024, though missions continue into the late .

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  47. https://spacenews.com/japans-gx-rocket-targeted-cancellation-2010/
  48. https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2001-12-19-Lockheed-Martins-Atlas-V-RD-180-Engine-Successfully-Completes-Testing-Program
  49. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/10/atlas-v-history/
  50. https://nextspaceflight.com/rockets/25/
  51. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/2024/01/11/how-the-us-replaced-russias-rd-180-engine-strengthening-competition/
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