The Convair designers adopted this technique to save weight. Unlike the later ICBMs in which the first, second, and third stages fired in sequence, all of the Atlas engines were ignited at liftoff.Īnother interesting feature was the pressurized integral fuel tanks. The first was its “stage-and-a-half’ propulsion system consisting of two large booster engines flanking a smaller sustainer engine. The Atlas incorporated two novel features. The later Atlas D (PGM-16D/CGM-16D), the Atlas E (CGM-16E), and Atlas F (HGM-16F) models all saw service in the field. The Atlas A, B, and C models were used exclusively for flight testing. The Air Force built six variations of the Atlas missile. Reentry Vehicles: Mark 2 and 3: General Electric Corporation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mark 4: AVCO, Wilmington, Massachusetts Guidance: Radio-inertial (Atlas A, B, C, and D models): The radar was built by General Electric in Syracuse, New York, and the computer by Burroughs in Paoli, PennsylvaniaĪll-inertial (Atlas E and F models): American Bosch Arma, Garden City, New York Propulsion: Rocketdyne Division, North American Aviation, Canoga Park, California Guidance: Atlas A, B, C, and D models: Radio-inertial Atlas E and F models: All-inertialĪirframe: Convair (later a division of General Dynamics Corp.), San Diego, California Vernier: Two engines each generating 2,000 pounds of thrust Sustainer: A single engine generating 57,000 pounds of thrust

Atlas E and F, two MA-3 engines generating 389,000 pounds of thrust. Primary booster: Atlas A, B, and C: two MA-i engines generating a combined 357,400 pounds of thrust.Ītlas D, two MA-2 engines generating 368,000 pounds of thrust. Propulsion: The Atlas propulsion system included three types of engines: two large booster engines, a sustainer engine, and two small vernier engines. Perhaps more importantly, its development spawned the organization, policies, and procedures that paved the way for all of the later ICBM programs. Despite its relatively short life span, Atlas served as the proving ground for many new missile technologies.

The missiles, however, saw only brief service and the last squadron was taken off operational alert in 1965.

First deployed in September 1959, the Atlas (SM-65), was the nation’s first operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Atlas flight control system