Atlas Unflown - friznit/Unofficial-BDB-Wiki GitHub Wiki

Background

Over the course of its long life, there have been many proposed Atlas designs that were never developed. Some are essentially early concepts for launch vehicles that flew many years later. Some of the more unique variants that can be built with BDB parts are listed below.

Tags: Bossart, SLV3X, CELV

Variants

Launch Vehicle	First Stage	Second Stage	Third Stage
Atlas-Vega	BMM LR89-5	Vejur	Optional JPL6K
Atlas SLV-3X	2.4m dia; H-1D	Centaur D
Atlas SLV-3XA	2.4m dia; H-1D	Agena D
Atlas SLV-3K	3m dia; 5x H-1D	Centaur D-1
Atlas II CELV	3.175m dia; 5x H-1D	Centaur G Prime

Basic Build Guide

Atlas-Vega is a variant of Atlas LV3-C with a Vega (Vejur) second stage powered by a Vanguard (Viklun) first stage engine. In the three stage variant, a JPL 6K stage taken from Juno IV (Chryslus) can be added. Vega is a drop in replacement for Centaur and uses the same interstage and fairing base under the avionics Unit.

The SLV-3X designation is reused often to refer to experimental designs. The 1970 SLV-3X is a "fat" Atlas SLV-3C with expanded 2.5m diameter (KSP Scale) first stage tanks and an H-1D sustainer engine in place of the LR105-7. A roll control system on the interstage is used in place of verniers.

SLV-3K is an even fatter Atlas with 3.125m diameter tanks boosted by 4x H-1D engines and a single H-1D sustainer topped by a Centaur D-1 and a widened fairing.

Atlas II Centaur G Prime (not to be confused with the later Atlas II that actually flew) was proposed for the USAF Complementary Expendable Launch Vehicle (CELV) competition in 1984. It features a 3.125m diameter first stage powered by 5x H-1D engines and 4x SRB's not dissimilar to the AJ-60A's used on Atlas V.