22 Facts About SM-65 Atlas

SM-65 Atlas was the first operational intercontinental ballistic missile developed by the United States and the first member of the Atlas rocket family.

SM-65 Atlas became operational in October 1959, but was made obsolete as an ICBM by new development, and was retired from this role by 1965.

SM-65 Atlas required long preparation times which made it unsuitable for a quick launch ICBM.

However, this was not a requirement for planned space launches, and so SM-65 Atlas-derived launch vehicles served a long history as space launchers.

Until 2001, many retired SM-65 Atlas ICBMs were refurbished and combined with upper stages to launch satellites.

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SM-65 Atlas was the first US ICBM and one of the first large liquid-fueled rockets.

SM-65 Atlas began in 1946 with the award of an Army Air Forces research contract to Convair for the study of a 1,500-to-5,000-mile range missile that might at some future date carry a nuclear warhead.

Project Atlas was assigned the highest Air Force development priority on 14 May 1954 by General Thomas D White.

SM-65 Atlas development was tightly controlled by the Air Force's Western Development Division, WDD, later part of the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division.

SM-65 Atlas ICBMs were deployed operationally from 31 October 1959 to 12 April 1965.

The SM-65 Atlas-F was stored vertically underground, but launched after being lifted to the surface.

SM-65 Atlas was unusual in its use of balloon tanks for fuel, made of very thin stainless steel with minimal or no rigid support structures.

SM-65 Atlas was informally classified as a "stage-and-a-half" rocket, with a central sustainer engine and set of two booster engines that were all started at launch, each drawing from a single set of propellant tanks.

However, when the SM-65 Atlas missile was being developed, there was doubt as to whether a rocket engine could be air-started.

However, technology advanced quickly and not long after design work on SM-65 Atlas was completed, Convair rival Martin proposed a solution to the air-starting problem.

Later space launcher variants of the SM-65 Atlas used the MA-5 propulsion system with twin turbopumps on each booster engine, driven by a common gas generator.

The sustainer engine on all SM-65 Atlas variants consisted of a single thrust chamber with its own turbopump and gas generator, which powered two small pressure-fed vernier engines.

SM-65C Atlas, or Atlas C was the third prototype Atlas version, a more refined model with improved, lighter-weight components.

SM-65D Atlas, or Atlas D, was the first operational version of the Atlas missile and the basis for all Atlas space launchers, debuting in 1959.

Major enhancement in the SM-65 Atlas E was the new all-inertial system that obviated the need for ground control facilities.

SM-65 Atlas F was essentially a quick-firing version of the SM-65 Atlas E, modified to be stored in a vertical position inside underground concrete and steel silos.

Six SM-65F Atlas squadrons were the first ICBMs to be stored vertically in underground silos.