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The Atlas V 541 Launch Vehicle is a part of the flight proven Atlas V 400/500 family that is being operated by United Launch Alliance. Atlas V rockets are flown since 2002 and have a near-perfect success rate (one flight was a partial failure, however the mission was catalogued as a success). The Atlas V was developed by Lockheed Martin services. It is a part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle of the US Air Force. Launch sites for the Atlas V are the Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Launch Complex 3-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The Atlas V uses a singe engine Common Core Booster with an RD-180 dual chamber engine. Up to 5 solid rocket boosters can be attached to the first stage of the launcher. A Centaur Upper Stage functions as the second stage of the rocket. Centaur can be powered by a single engine ot a dual engine system. To this date, only single engine Centaurs have flown on the Atlas V. The Centaur's engine can handle multiple start-ups in space, making it possible to insert payloads to a parking orbit before igniting the engine again to boost a spacecraft into GTO or GEO. Centaur provides the Inertial Navigation Unit that controls the entire stack (Atlas&Centaur) following liftoff. The unit also monitors and regulates propellant levels and propellant use. The Atlas V 541 has four solid rocket boosters attached to its first stage. MSL will be the first Flight of the Atlas V in its 541 Configuration. Every Atlas V version has a three digit ID-Number: First Digit: Payload Fairing diameter: 4XX - 4m Diameter; 5XX - 5.4m Diameter Second Digit: Number of Solid Rocket Boosters (0-5) Third Digit: Number of RL-10A Engines on Centaur (1 or 2)
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| # Boosters | 4 |
| Length | 20m |
| Diameter | 1.58m |
| Mass | 46,697kg (102,949lbs) |
| Fuel | Solid |
| Thrust | 1,688kn (379,550lbf) |
| Burn Time | 94 sec |
Interstage Adapter
| Diameter | 3.83m |
| Length | 3.81m |
| Mass | 2,212kg (4876lbs) |
Centaur Upper Stage
| Diameter | 3.05m |
| Length | 12.68m |
| Inert Mass | 2,247kg (4,954 lbs) |
| Propellant | Liquid Hydrogen |
| Oxidizer | Liquid Oxygen |
| Fuel&Oxidizer Mass | 20,830kg (45,922lbs) |
| Guidance | Inertial |
| Propulsion | 1 RL 10A-4-2 |
| Thrust | 99.2kN (22,300lbf) |
| Engine Length | 2.32m |
| Engine Diameter | 1.53m |
| Engine Dry Weight | 370lbs |
| Burn Time | Variable |
| Engine Start | Restartable |
| Attitude control | 4 27-N Thrusters |
| 8 40-N Thrusters | |
| Propellant | Hydrazine |
Short Payload Fairing (MSL Mission)
| Diameter | 5.4m |
| Length | 20.7m |
| Mass | 3,524kg (7,769lbs) |
| Separation | Pyrotechnic Activation (Actuators) |
| Construction | Sandwich Construction |
| Graphite Epoxy Face Sheets | |
| Aluminum Core |
Atlas V - MSL Configuration
Source: NASA JPL
Photo: NASA
