Everything you never knew you wanted to know about the Mercury Project
Atlas booster
From RixWiki
| Mission | Booster |
|---|---|
| BJ-1 | Atlas 628/10D |
| MA-1 | Atlas 50-D |
| MA-2 | Atlas 67-D |
| MA-3 | Atlas 100-D |
| MA-4 | Atlas 88-D |
| MA-5 | Atlas 93-D |
| MA-6 | Atlas 109-D |
| MA-7 | Atlas 107-D |
| MA-8 | Atlas 113-D |
| MA-9 | Atlas 130-D |
The Atlas boosters used for Project Mercury were adapted versions of the US Air Force Atlas-D Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).
Contents |
Design Features
The Atlas was the first successful US ICBM. It was a 1.5 stage design. Three rocket engines were arranged side by side. At ignition all three engines were started. The two outer engines served as boosters, and were shutdown and jettisoned along with their "skirt" about two minutes after liftoff. The central engine (or sustainer) burned about three more minutes.
Attitude control was obtained by moving the engine nozzles which were mounted on gimbals. Small vernier engines on the sides of the missile provided additional stability.
One of the interesting features of the Atlas was it's reliance on fuel and oxygen tank pressure to support it's weight. The external stainless steel skin was quite thin. The missile's balloon tanks used the pressure of the contents to provide rigidity.
The Atlas family has continued into the 21st century, although very little of the original design remains. The Atlas V used to launch deep space probes such as "New Horizons" no longer uses balloon tanks, and utilizes a Russian designed engine.
Man rating the Atlas
In order to certify the Atlas for manned flight changes to the vehicle were required.
Abort Sensing and Implementation System
Structural Changes
The failure of the MA-1 mission led to concerns about the structural strength of the missile. Later flights used a "belly band" an additional layer of stainless steel to strengthen the area below the spacecraft adapter.
Atlas Operations at Cape Canaveral
See the articles on
Details
Engine Nozzles
 Nozzles on Atlas 109-D |
Note that the center (sustainer) engine nozzle is natural metal and the two outer (booster) engine nozzles are red.
Vernier engines
 Pre-ignition MA-7 |
Post ignition MA-7 |
