The Atlas V rocket: One of the most successful rockets in history

On Saturday, Nov. 19, the next-generation weather satellite will be sent to space aboard an Atlas V rocket, one of the most reliable rides into get to space.

The Atlas V rocket is owned by United Launch Alliance (ULA) and has been in use since 2002.

“Built modularly with flight-proven elements, Atlas V has followed a carefully executed program of incremental improvements resulting in 100 percent mission success,” ULA says on their website.

A 100 percent success rate is almost unheard of in the space industry, making it one of the most reliable rockets in the world.

Because of this success rate, the Atlas V rocket has been selected for some of the most important missions for NASA. This includes the launch of New Horizons, the only space probe to visit Pluto, and NASA’s Curiosity rover exploring the surface of Mars for signs of life.

Unlike many other rockets, the Atlas V is customizable so it can meet the requirements to send a wide variety of payloads into outer space.

The rocket has two configurations: the Atlas V 400 series and the Atlas V 500 series.

The Atlas V 400 series is used by ULA for smaller payloads, having a payload fairing with a diameter of 4 meters.

This configuration can also include up to three additional solid rocket boosters to help power the spacecraft into outer space.

The Atlas V 500 series is used for larger payloads, having a payload fairing with a diameter of 5 meters. This can accommodate some of the larger satellites and space probes needed to be sent to space.

This configuration can also include up to five solid rocket boosters to help propel heavier payloads into outer space.

Regardless of the exact configuration, all Atlas V rockets use the same standard common core booster, powered by the highly efficient RD-180 engine.

Each configuration also uses an upper-stage Centaur, which can either have one or two engines, depending on the mission.

This month’s GOES-R launch will use the larger of the two rocket configurations equipped with four solid rocket boosters to deliver it into geosynchronous orbit, 22,300 miles above the earth.

This configuration was selected for the GOES-R launch because it has the right liftoff capability for the heavy weight requirements, NASA said.

This type of configuration will also be used for the upcoming GOES-S satellite launch, slated to launch in 2018.

For more astronomy news, visit our astronomy blog and our astronomy pages on Facebook and Twitter.