Atlas H


The Atlas H was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch five clusters of NOSS satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office. Two flights also carried LiPS satellites, as secondary payloads for the United States Naval Research Laboratory.
The Atlas H was a stage and a half rocket, using the enhanced Atlas rocket designed for use as the first stage of the Atlas G rocket, which differed from the Atlas H in having a Centaur upper stage. This stage was later reused as the first stage of the Atlas I. In practice, an MSD upper stage was flown on all five launches.
Atlas H could put a payload of 3,630 kg into low Earth orbit, or a payload of 2,255 kg into a geostationary transfer orbit.

Launches

The Atlas H was launched five times from Vandenberg SLC3E:
DateMissionMass Apogee Perigee Inclination º
1983 February 9NOSS 4 - PARCAE 5 / OPS 02527001,1861,06363.40
1983 February 9SSB - SSU7001,48973363.40
1983 February 9SSD - NOSS-Subsat 4-41,41979663.40
1983 February 9SSC - SSU1,1731,04363.50
1983 February 9SSA - SSU1,1661,05163.40
1983 February 9SSA - NOSS-Subsat 4-1 / OPS 0252 DEB1,1641,05163.50
1983 February 9LIPS 21,39982263.30
1983 June 9NOSS 5 - PARCAE 6 / OPS 64327001,1671,04963.40
1983 June 9GB1 - SSU1,1671,04963.40
1983 June 9GB3 - SSU1,1661,04963.40
1983 June 9GB2 - SSU1,1671,04963.40
1984 February 5NOSS 6 - PARCAE 7 / OPS 87377001,1721,05263.40
1984 February 5JD1 - SSU1,1721,05263.40
1984 February 5JD2 - SSU1,1721,05263.40
1984 February 5JD3 - SSU1,1721,05263.40
1986 February 9USA 15 - PARCAE 87001,1661,04963.00
1986 February 9USA 18 - SSU1,40781763.41
1986 February 9USA 16 - SSU1,1611,05563.00
1986 February 9USA 17 - SSU1,1651,05563.00
1987 May 15USA 22 - PARCAE 97001,1791,04562.90
1987 May 15LIPS 31,31689963.40
1987 May 15USA 25 - SSU1,1781,03562.60
1987 May 15USA 24 - SSU1,1841,04663.20
1987 May 15USA 23 - SSU1,1701,03963.40