Atlas V is the United Launch Alliance rocket that carries national security, NASA and commercial payloads.
ula-atlas-v Atlas V is a rocket from United Launch Alliance, known as ULA. It launches national security payloads, NASA missions, commercial payloads and Boeing's Starliner crew capsule. NASA used it for the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers. The first Atlas V flew in 2002, and the Atlas family has more than 600 launches behind it.
The booster's tanks are isogrid aluminium, walls with a grid of stiffening ribs. The Centaur upper stage has balloon-style stainless steel tanks that keep their shape from the pressure inside them. The 5-metre fairing is graphite-epoxy, a carbon composite, over aluminium honeycomb.
Atlas V launches national security, NASA and commercial payloads and the Starliner crew capsule. Its isogrid aluminum booster and balloon-style stainless steel Centaur tanks are historic examples of tank design.
The booster's oxygen and kerosene tanks are welded aluminium isogrid, closed by spun-formed domes. Skirts join the tanks, some in 2014 alloy with aluminium ring frames. The whole booster structure is only eight simple subassemblies, where the earlier Atlas IIAS used more than 100.
One RD-180 engine, made by RD AMROSS, a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney and NPO Energomash, powers the booster. It has two chambers fed by a common turbopump and produces 3826 kilonewtons at sea level. It descends from the four-chamber RD-170 and RD-171 of the Russian Energia boosters.
Centaur's stainless steel tanks are pressure stabilised, so they keep their shape from the pressure inside. A double-wall, vacuum-insulated bulkhead separates the liquid hydrogen from the liquid oxygen, and foam insulation is bonded to the outside of both tanks. One or two RL10 engines power it.
The 4-metre fairing is an aluminium skin, stringer and frame clamshell. The 5-metre fairing is a sandwich of graphite-epoxy sheets over an aluminium honeycomb core. The interstage adapter on the 400 series is graphite-epoxy composite with an aluminium ring, and the 500 series uses a machined aluminium ring forging.
The 400 series takes up to three strap-on solid boosters, and the 500 series up to five. The Aerojet boosters in ULA's 2010 guide have one-piece graphite-epoxy cases, carbon phenolic nozzles and HTPB propellant. Northrop Grumman's GEM 63 boosters first flew on Atlas V in November 2020.
Isogrid walls of the booster's oxygen and kerosene tanks, plus the feedlines and the 4-metre fairing.
Isogrid panels of the booster's forward and kerosene-tank adapter skirts.
The pressure-stabilised Centaur propellant tanks. ULA does not name the grade.
The 400 series interstage adapter and the cases of the Aerojet solid boosters.
The core of the 5-metre fairing and its boattail, the booster heat shield and the 3.8-metre Centaur interstage adapter.
The fixed nozzles of the Aerojet solid boosters.
One RD-180 engine powers the booster, the same engine that flew on Atlas III, and one or two RL10 engines power the Centaur. Atlas V launched the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Landsat 9, and it carries Starliner. Aerojet Rocketdyne and later Northrop Grumman supplied the solid boosters, and Honeywell the navigation unit. RUAG Space built the 5-metre fairing for the Curiosity launch.
NPO Energomash
Atlas booster: one engine; first stage of every Atlas V (batch2 draft entry npo-energomash-rd-180)
Aerojet Rocketdyne
Common Centaur: one engine (SEC) or two (DEC); RL10A-4-2 in the 2010 guide, RL10C-1 now
Single-engine Centaur on Mars 2020 flew an RL10C-1
Pumpkin Space Systems
Launched 13 September 2012 from Vandenberg; CSSWE flew on a Pumpkin Rev D 3U structure
NASA / USGS
launched 27 September 2021 from Space Launch Complex-3, Vandenberg, with the Landsat 9 ESPA Flight System rideshare
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
launched 18 June 2009 with LCROSS as companion; one booster and a Centaur, no solid boosters
Uses the RD-180 flown on Atlas III
United Launch Alliance
Reuses Atlas V Centaur and GEM 63 heritage; stretched GEM 63XL
RD-180 engine
AJ-60A solid rocket boosters (and the RL10C-1 on Mars 2020)
GEM 63 strap-on boosters from 2020
Fault-tolerant inertial navigation unit
5-m payload fairing (Atlas V 541 for Curiosity)
RL10C-1 engine on the current Centaur
Manufacturing in Decatur, Alabama and Harlingen, Texas
NASA
RL10 engine. Here: Common Centaur: one engine (SEC) or two (DEC); RL10A-4-2 in the 2010 guide, RL10C-1 now. There: ICPS: one RL10B-2 engine (24,750 lbf).
United Launch Alliance
RL10 engine. Here: Common Centaur: one engine (SEC) or two (DEC); RL10A-4-2 in the 2010 guide, RL10C-1 now. There: Centaur V: two RL10C-1-1A engines, 23,825 lbf each.
ESA
Aluminium. Here: Booster LO2 and RP tanks; Propellant feedlines and more. There: Telescope (structure and mirrors, 3 telescopes).
Aluminium honeycomb core. Here: Booster heat shield; 5-m payload fairing and more. There: Structure (summary).
Carbon fibre. Here: 400 series interstage adapter; SRB case. There: Outer panels (3).
Aluminium alloy 7075-T6. Here: Aft transition structure ring frames and skins. There: Edge profiles and hot inserts.
NASA
Aluminium. Here: Booster LO2 and RP tanks; Propellant feedlines and more. There: S-IVB forward skirt, aft skirt, thrust structure and aft interstage.
Aluminium honeycomb core. Here: Booster heat shield; 5-m payload fairing and more. There: IU ring structure.
aluminum 2014 isogrid panels with aluminum ring frames. Here: Forward adapter skirt and RP adapter skirt. There: Common bulkhead facing sheets; Propellant tanks.
Aluminium alloy 7075-T6. Here: Aft transition structure ring frames and skins. There: Thrust structure skin panels; Intertank and more.
United Launch Alliance
Aluminium. Here: Booster LO2 and RP tanks; Propellant feedlines and more. There: Booster propellant tanks; Booster tank panels and domes.
Aluminium honeycomb core. Here: Booster heat shield; 5-m payload fairing and more. There: Payload fairing sandwich construction (refines the existing 5.4 m fairing row); Payload fairing sandwich construction.
graphite-epoxy overwrap with Inconel metallic liner. Here: Helium storage bottles (x2, composite). There: GEM 63XL motor case.
stainless steel. Here: Centaur propellant tanks. There: Centaur V propellant tank.
Pumpkin Space Systems
Aluminium. Here: Booster LO2 and RP tanks; Propellant feedlines and more. There: Structure, three major assemblies; Through-hole spacers, aluminium, 15.24 mm x 6.0 mm OD (x16) and more.
Aluminium alloy 7075-T6. Here: Aft transition structure ring frames and skins. There: Machined chassis components (CubeSat Kit Pro); Feet and more.
stainless steel. Here: Centaur propellant tanks. There: Chassis screws (ten per structure, M3x5mm flathead); Threaded rods, M3 stainless (x4) and more.
ESA
Aluminium. Here: Booster LO2 and RP tanks; Propellant feedlines and more. There: TPMU/DSLP housing.
Aluminium honeycomb core. Here: Booster heat shield; 5-m payload fairing and more. There: H-configuration inner panels (3); Outer panels without cells and more.
Carbon fibre. Here: 400 series interstage adapter; SRB case. There: Platform structure supplier (eoPortal).
Rockwest Composites
Aluminium. Here: Booster LO2 and RP tanks; Propellant feedlines and more. There: Aluminium inserts, in-plane and out-of-plane (DiskSat build).
Aluminium honeycomb core. Here: Booster heat shield; 5-m payload fairing and more. There: Core.
Carbon fibre. Here: 400 series interstage adapter; SRB case. There: Face skin carbon fibre; HR40 / NB321 unidirectional prepreg and more.
ULA's detailed structure guide dates from 2010, before the GEM 63 boosters and the RL10C-1 engine arrived, so it does not cover them. It does not name the aluminium alloys of the booster tanks, the stainless steel grade of the Centaur, the foam insulation, or the maker of the Centaur tanks and valves.
What is written above is built from these numbers and quotes. Each row links to the page it was taken from. Get all of it as JSON, or ask our MCP server.
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Booster size | 3.81 m diameter x 32.46 m length |
| Centaur size | 3.05 m diameter x 12.68 m length with extended nozzle |
| Centaur propellant | 20,830 kg LH2 and LO2 |
| Booster propellant | 284,089 kg LO2 and RP-1 |
| SRB thrust | 1688.4 kN each (zero to five on 500 series) |
| 5-m fairing diameter | 5.4 m |
| RD-180 flight record at 2010 guide | 25 Atlas V flights, over 41,400 seconds in 221 firings |
| Atlas V 541 height | 197 ft (Mars 2020 vehicle with 5-m fairing) |
| Booster structure | eight simple subassemblies (Atlas IIAS used over 100 parts and subassemblies) |
| Booster first flight year | 2002 |
| Atlas family launches | more than 600 Atlas program launches |
| GEM 63 first flight | Atlas V NROL-101, November 2020 |
| GEM 63 data | total mass 108,600 lb, propellant 97,500 lb, burn time 97.6 s, max thrust 370,835 lbf, length 791 in |
| Centaur propellant tanks stretch | 1.7 m (5.5 ft) longer than the Atlas IIAS Centaur |
Each material named in the sources: where it is used here, which other products use it, and its key numbers when its material page exists.
Used in 9 partsBooster LO2 and RP tanks · Propellant feedlines · 4-m payload fairing · +6 more
Used in 4 partsBooster heat shield · 5-m payload fairing · Centaur interstage adapter (C-ISA, 3.8 m) · +1 more
Used in 2 parts400 series interstage adapter · SRB case
Used in 1 partForward adapter skirt and RP adapter skirt
Used in 1 partAft transition structure ring frames and skins
Used in 1 partSRB nozzle
Used in 1 partCentaur extendible nozzle (RL10, dual engine)
Used in 1 partPropellant tank foam insulation
Used in 1 partHelium storage bottles (x2, composite)
Used in 1 partSRB propellant
Used in 1 partCentaur propellant tanks
The 2010 Atlas V User's Guide gives structure materials for the booster, Centaur, fairings, adapters and SRBs. Alloys are named only for a few skirts and frames; no parts lists exist. Components, suppliers and links were added from public sources. A material is left blank where no source states it.
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booster LO2 and RP tanks“constructed of structurally stable aluminum isogrid tanks” | aluminum isogrid panels, weldedaluminium | — | — |
| Forward adapter skirt and RP adapter skirt“aluminum 2014 isogrid panels with aluminum ring frames” | aluminum 2014 isogrid panels with aluminum ring framesaluminium-2014 | — | — |
| Aft transition structure ring frames and skins“constructed of aluminum 7075 ring frames and fittings with aluminum 2040 skins” | aluminum 7075 ring frames, aluminum 2040 skins (as printed)aluminium-7075 | — | — |
| Booster heat shield“composite structure with graphite epoxy facesheets over an aluminum honeycomb” | graphite epoxy face sheets over aluminum honeycombaluminium-honeycomb-hexweb | — | — |
| Propellant feedlines“propellant feedlines are aluminum duct assemblies” | aluminumaluminium | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centaur propellant tanks“Pressure Stabilized Stainless Steel Tanks” | stainless steel (grade not stated)stainless-steel | — | — |
| Centaur extendible nozzle (RL10, dual engine)“Columbium Extendible Nozzles” | columbiumcolumbium-niobium | — | — |
| RL10A-4-2 engine (x1 or x2)Gimbaled, regeneratively cooled hydrogen/oxygen engine; single- or dual-engine Centaur“Primary propulsion is provided by Pratt & Whitney RL10A-4-2 engine(s) with a fixed, radiatively cooled nozzle extension.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Pratt & Whitney |
| Centaur forward adapter (CFA)Single structure that carries avionics, harnesses and the forward umbilical panel“combines the functions of the stub adapter and equipment module used on earlier Atlas configurations into a single, more producible structure” | Not said | — | — |
| Intermediate bulkheadDouble-wall, vacuum-insulated wall between the LH2 and LO2“A double-wall, vacuum-insulated intermediate bulkhead separates the propellants.” | Not said | — | — |
| Propellant tank foam insulationLimits ice formation and boil-off on the ground and during ascent“It consists of foam insulation bonded to the exterior surface of the LH2 and LO2 tanks” | foam insulation (foam type not stated)foam-insulation-unstated | — | — |
| Single-engine support beamCentre-line mount for one engine, 452 mm aft of the dual-engine location“The SEC incorporates an engine support beam that attaches to the aft bulkhead in the existing engine mount locations” | Not said | — | — |
| Centaur vent and pressurization system (CVAPS)Keeps tank pressure within limits and protects the intermediate bulkhead“The Centaur Vent and Pressurization System (CVAPS) maintains the ullage tank pressures to ensure structural integrity.” | Not said | — | — |
| Helium storage bottles (x2, composite)Helium for engine and reaction control system controls“cylindrical composite helium storage bottles charged to 27,580 kPa (4,000 psi)” | graphite-epoxy overwrap with Inconel metallic linergraphite-epoxy | — | — |
| Hydrazine reaction control system (RCS)Pitch, yaw and roll in coast, and propellant settling before engine start“The hydrazine-based Reaction Control System (RCS) provides pitch, yaw, and roll control for Centaur during coast phases of flight” | Not said | — | — |
| Thrust vector control: electronic control unit and two electromechanical actuatorsSteers each Centaur engine“consists of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and two Electromechanical Actuators (EMA)” | Not said | — | — |
| Propellant utilization (PU) systemMeasures remaining LH2 and LO2 with differential pressure transducers and trims the engine mixture ratio“using three redundant externally mounted differential pressure transducers” | Not said | — | — |
| Propellant level indication system (PLIS)Cold wire sensors that show levels while tanking“The Centaur Propellant Level Indication System (PLIS) is used during tanking operations to indicate levels of fuel and oxidizer in the propellant tanks.” | Not said | — | — |
| Geosynchronous orbit kit (GSO kit)Extra batteries and radiation shielding for long GEO missions“This GSO Kit includes two additional (for a total of four) 150 AH batteries and LH2 tank sidewall radiation shielding.” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-m payload fairing“Aluminum Skin Stringer & Frame Clamshell” | aluminumaluminium | — | — |
| 5-m payload fairing“Sandwich Construction with Graphite Epoxy Face Sheets & an Aluminum Honeycomb Core” | graphite epoxy face sheets with aluminum honeycomb corealuminium-honeycomb-hexweb | — | — |
| 400 series interstage adapter“Composite (Graphite Epoxy) with Aluminum Ring” | graphite epoxy composite with aluminum ringcarbon-fibre | — | — |
| Booster cylindrical interstage adapter (500 series)“Aluminum Machined Rolled-Ring Forging” | aluminum machined rolled-ring forgingaluminium | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRB case“graphite-epoxy case, carbon phenolic nozzle, and high-performance Class 1.3 HTPB propellant” | graphite-epoxycarbon-fibre | — | — |
| SRB nozzle“carbon phenolic nozzle” | carbon phenoliccarbon-phenolic | — | — |
| SRB propellant“high-performance Class 1.3 HTPB propellant” | HTPB, Class 1.3htpb-propellant | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| RD-180 engine (x1)Single two-chamber first-stage engine, LO2 and RP-1, staged combustion“provided by RD AMROSS, a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney and NPO Energomash, is a two-chamber design fed by a common turbopump assembly” | Not said | — | Supplier: RD AMROSS (joint venture of Pratt & Whitney and NPO Energomash) |
| LO2 tank splice ringJoins the forward and aft barrel sections of the LO2 tank“The splice ring is an aluminum machined rolled-ring forging.” | aluminium (machined rolled-ring forging; alloy not stated)aluminium | — | — |
| Spun-formed tank domes (forward and aft, with manhole cover and sump)Close the ends of the LO2 and RP tanks“a one-piece spun-formed forward dome with manhole cover, and a one-piece spun-formed aft dome with a sump” | Not said | — | — |
| LO2 and RP intertank skirtsJoin the LO2 tank to the RP tank“The LO2 intertank skirt attaches to aft end of the tank and joins the LO2 tank to the RP tank.” | aluminium isogrid with aluminium ring frames (alloy not stated)aluminium | — | — |
| Pressurization system (4 composite overwrapped helium vessels, flow control assemblies, filters)Pressurizes the RP and LO2 tanks in flight and from the ground“four Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs) to store helium” | Not said | — | — |
| Aft transition structure helium bottles (x2)Two of the bottles that pressurize the propellant tanks“houses two of the helium bottles used to pressurize the propellant tanks” | Not said | — | — |
| Avionics podSide-mounted equipment pod with the booster remote control unit, batteries, ORCA, instrumentation and flight termination system“provides mounting and protection for the Booster Remote Control Unit (BRCU), batteries, Ordnance Remote Control Assembly (ORCA), instrumentation system, and flight termination system” | Not said | — | — |
| Rate gyro unitBooster rate sensing, in the upper avionics pod“mounting and protection for a rate gyro unit” | Not said | — | — |
| Booster main batteries (redundant) and ORCA pyrotechnic controllers (x2) with pyrotechnic batteries (x2)Power and ordnance control for booster events“Two ORCAs and two dedicated pyrotechnic batteries are provided in a redundant design.” | Not said | — | — |
| Automatic Destruct System (ADS)Senses inadvertent stage separation and commands destruct on its own“the Automatic Destruct System (ADS), a system that senses inadvertent stage separation and autonomously commands destruct” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strap-on solid rocket boosters (0 to 3 on the 400 series, 0 to 5 on the 500 series)Extra liftoff thrust, ground-lit“up to three strap-on SRBs for the Atlas V 400 series and up to five strap-on SRBs for the Atlas V 500 series” | Not said | — | Supplier: Aerojet (2010 guide); Northrop Grumman GEM 63 from 2020 |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fault-tolerant inertial navigation unit (FTINU)Guidance, navigation and flight control computer with ring laser gyros“the new FTINU developed by Honeywell for service on Atlas V since mid 2005” | Not said | — | Supplier: Honeywell |
| Upper stage remote control unit (URCU)Power and switching control, 96 solid-state outputs per channel“The URCU provides 96 outputs (per channel) of solid-state switching under FTINU software control” | Not said | — | — |
| Main vehicle batteries (x2, 28 Vdc) and pyrotechnic batteries (x2)Centaur electrical power“the electrical power system consists of two 28 Vdc main vehicle batteries, two pyrotechnic batteries, the URCU” | Not said | — | — |
| Telemetry: master data unit and two remote data unitsData acquisition across booster and Centaur“consists of a Master Data Unit (MDU) and two Remote Data Units (RDUs)” | Not said | — | — |
| C-band tracking transponderLets range radar track the vehicle“The baseline system consists of a noncoherent transponder, a power divider, and two antennas.” | Not said | — | — |
| Secure flight termination system (SFTS)Independent Centaur destruct and engine shutdown capability“telemetry and tracking, secure flight termination capability, and electrical power distribution” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch vehicle (C-) adaptersMachined aluminium cylinder between Centaur and payload separation ring“The LV adapter, also known as a C-adapter” | integrally machined aluminium (alloy not stated)aluminium | — | — |
| Aft bulkhead carrier (ABC)Auxiliary payload bay on the Centaur aft bulkhead, up to 80 kg“The ABC can carry an auxiliary payload with a mass of up to 80 kg (176 lb).” | Not said | — | — |
| C-adapter platform (CAP)Side-mounted auxiliary payload inside the fairing, up to 45 kg“It can carry an auxiliary payload with a mass up to 45 kg (100 lb).” | Not said | — | — |
| Dual spacecraft system (DSS)Two back-to-back Centaur forward adapters to launch two spacecraft on a 4-m vehicle“DSS, Consisting of Two (2) Centaur Forward Adapters (Mated Back to Back)” | Not said | — | — |
| Dual payload carrier (DPC)Splits the 5-m medium fairing into two payload compartments“The DPC fits entirely within the 5m medium PLF and divides the PLF volume into two payload compartments” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch vehicle adapter (LVA) for StarlinerStructurally attaches the capsule to the rocket for ascent“a Launch Vehicle Adapter (LVA) that structurally attaches the Starliner to the Atlas V rocket for ascent” | Not said | — | — |
| Aeroskirt (70 in, 1.8 m)Improves aerodynamics, stability and loads“a 70-inch-long (1.8-m) aeroskirt to enhance the aerodynamic characteristics, stability and loads of the Atlas V” | Not said | — | — |
| Emergency detection system (EDS)Extra layer of safety for astronauts“an Emergency Detection System (EDS) that provides an extra layer of safety for astronauts riding the reliable Atlas V” | Not said | — | — |
Guide is the 2010 revision: later boosters (GEM 63 from 2020) and current Centaur details are not covered; Centaur stainless grade, fairing alloys, engine materials, first flight date not sourced. More detail: Structure and avionics come from the March 2010 user guide, so details of the GEM 63 era (from 2020) and the RL10C-1 Centaur are limited to ULA pages. Not stated in the sources read: aluminium alloys of the booster tanks and the Centaur stainless grade, the foam insulation chemistry, makers of the Centaur tank, valves, batteries and the RD-180 internals (see the RD-180 plain-name target), the 4-m fairing maker, and an exact first flight date (only the year 2002 is sourced). The fairing maker RUAG Space is sourced for the Atlas V 541 used for Curiosity; the 2010 guide also notes the 5-m fairing is a derivative of a RUAG Space design. More detail: Structure and avionics come from the March 2010 user guide, so details of the GEM 63 era (from 2020) and the RL10C-1 Centaur are limited to ULA pages. Not stated in the sources read: aluminium alloys of the booster tanks and the Centaur stainless grade, the foam insulation chemistry, makers of the Centaur tank, valves, batteries and the RD-180 internals (see the RD-180 plain-name target), the 4-m fairing maker, and an exact first flight date (only the year 2002 is sourced). The fairing maker RUAG Space is sourced for the Atlas V 541 used for Curiosity; the 2010 guide also notes the 5-m fairing is a derivative of a RUAG Space design.
Collected from public pages and documents, checked 4 Nov 2026.
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