Posted on 04/22/2010 4:29:20 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
big bump
to launch an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch VehicleIf it has evolved, why isn't it called an Atlas VI? ;')
Because it is still evolving. Rocket evolution is never-ending process.
Funny, I always thought it was intelligent design.
Right. It (the Atlas) has “evolved” since I built a model of it back in 1966....
By the way, it’s based on technology older than Mercury, the B-52, and V-2 (er, Army Jupiter) missile.
You’d think NASA could have developed something newer since a 1958-1960 ICBM first flew. Now, I’ll contrast that with what our engineers and NASA’s EREAL engineers developed in the 1960’s when they were really “rocket scientists” .... and all that implied.
The Atlas really shows more that the US government hasn’t thought of anything new/bought anything new in the last 50 years.
You would think that since it was intelligently designed they would call it the
Atlas V Intelligently Designed Expendable Launch Vehicle.
You're being silly.
Comparing the Atlas V of today to that of 1950 is like comparing a modern Ford F150 pickup to a 1950 Ford F150 pickup.
The name is the same, but that's about all that's the same.
It has Russian RD-180 engines being used in them since about 2002.
Nice launch. The rumble went on for a long time.
There’s not really anything left of the old Atlas in an Atlas V except the name “Atlas”. The Atlas 2 was the last of the family to retain elements of the original Atlas. The Atlas III went to the Russian RD-180 engines, and from that point on it’s pretty much just been a name.
The newer Atlases go something like this:
Atlas I—developed from the Atlas G, incorporating improvements from other “classic” Atlases and some improvements of its own.
Atlas II—Uprated MA-5 engine (MA-5A), stretched tanks. Old vernier engines replaced with new hydrazine models.
Atlas III-practically clean sheet design around RD-180s. Still uses balloon tanks, last vestige of classic Atlas in it. This model didn’t really draw any customers.
Atlas IV-there is no Atlas IV. Maybe there was one on paper at one point, but only the III and V saw daylight.
Atlas V-RD-180s with new tanks in a clusterable design. Nothing really left of the old Atlas but the nameplate.
“various experiments and allow satellite sensors, subsystems, components and associated technology”
It is a secret mission.
Speculation?
How about technology that permits hearing people’s conversations on earth?
Hmmn. Russian engines under a US “nameplate”, eh?
Thanks for the update.
The Russians couldn’t sell the rockets without a Western partner. They started working with Aerojet about 15 years ago to get them in usable condition by our standards, and have Aerojet do the testing to prove it. They were workable engines, though the condition of them was initially pretty shocking by our standards.
Since Titan is history, it’s worked out well for Aerojet. PWR is still selling RJ-10s, though having to do two types of it (one for Delta IV, another for Atlas V), which drives up their costs.
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