Atlas LV-3B

Atlas LV-3B

An Atlas D LV-3B launching Mercury-Atlas 6
Function	Crewed expendable launch system
Manufacturer	Convair
Country of origin	United States
Size
Height	28.7 metres (94.3 ft)
Diameter	3.0 metres (10.0 ft) width over boost fairing 4.9 metres (16 ft)
Mass	120,000 kilograms (260,000 lb)
Stages	1½
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass	1,360 kilograms (3,000 lb)[1]
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	CCAFS LC-14
Total launches	9
Success(es)	7
Failure(s)	2
First flight	29 July 1960
Last flight	15 May 1963
Boosters
No. boosters	1
Powered by	2 Rocketdyne XLR-89-5
Maximum thrust	1,517.4 kilonewtons (341,130 lbf)
Burn time	135 seconds
Propellant	RP-1/LOX
First stage
Diameter	3.0 metres (10.0 ft)
Powered by	1 Rocketdyne XLR-105-5
Maximum thrust	363.22 kilonewtons (81,655 lbf)
Burn time	5 minutes
Propellant	RP-1/LOX
[edit on Wikidata]

The Atlas LV-3B, Atlas D Mercury Launch Vehicle or Mercury-Atlas Launch Vehicle, was a human-rated expendable launch system used as part of the United States Project Mercury to send astronauts into low Earth orbit. Manufactured by Convair, it was derived from the SM-65D Atlas missile, and was a member of the Atlas family of rockets. With the Atlas having been originally designed as a weapon system, testing and design changes were made to the missile to make it a safe and reliable launch vehicle. After the changes were made and approved, the US launched the LV-3B nine times, four of which had crewed Mercury spacecraft.