# Atlas-Able

> American expendable launch system

**Wikidata**: [Q22812](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22812)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas-Able)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/atlas-able

## Summary

Atlas-Able is a thing in the United States.

## Summary
Atlas-Able is an American expendable launch system that was first launched on November 26, 1959. As a specialized variant of the Atlas missile family, it was developed by Convair and General Dynamics for carrying payloads into space.

## Key Facts
- Atlas-Able is an American expendable launch vehicle designed for space missions.
- It first flew on November 26, 1959, marking its operational debut.
- The rocket was manufactured by Convair and General Dynamics, major American aerospace companies.
- Atlas-Able has two known variants: Atlas-C Able and Atlas-D Able.
- It belongs to the Atlas class family of American missiles and space launch vehicles.
- Classified as an expendable launch vehicle, meaning it is expended after a single use.
- Associated with several Pioneer lunar probe missions including Pioneer P-3, Pioneer P-30, and Pioneer P-31.
- Has 7 sitelinks across various Wikimedia projects including English, Galician, Hebrew, Polish, Portuguese, and Russian Wikipedia.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary purpose of the Atlas-Able rocket?
A: Atlas-Able was designed as an expendable launch vehicle for carrying payloads into outer space, with specific use in early U.S. lunar exploration missions like the Pioneer program.

### Q: When did Atlas-Able make its first flight?
A: Atlas-Able made its first flight on November 26, 1959, establishing it as an operational space launch system.

### Q: Who manufactured the Atlas-Able rockets?
A: Atlas-Able rockets were manufactured by Convair and General Dynamics, which were key aerospace companies involved in the American space program during that era.

### Q: What variants of the Atlas-Able existed?
A: The Atlas-Able rocket system had at least two known variants: the Atlas-C Able and Atlas-D Able configurations.

### Q: Which missions used the Atlas-Able rocket?
A: Atlas-Able was used for several Pioneer lunar probe missions including Pioneer P-3 (destroyed in launch failure), Pioneer P-30 (failed to be launched), and Pioneer P-31 (failed lunar orbiter).

## Why It Matters
Atlas-Able represents a significant milestone in early American space exploration, particularly in lunar orbit missions during the late 1950s. As a specialized variant of the Atlas missile family, it played a role in the race to explore space before humans had achieved lunar orbit. Despite some mission failures including the loss of Pioneer P-3 and Pioneer P-31, the Atlas-Able program contributed valuable engineering knowledge about rocket performance in space environments. It was part of the foundation that supported later successful lunar exploration missions and represents the United States' early efforts to establish a presence beyond Earth's atmosphere using expendable launch systems.

## Notable For
- Being the Atlas missile family's specialized configuration for space missions, adapting a military system for scientific exploration purposes.
- Its first flight on November 26, 1959, marking an early entry into the American space launch vehicle market.
- Association with several Pioneer lunar probe missions in the late 1950s, contributing to early lunar exploration efforts.
- Development by Convair and General Dynamics, major American aerospace companies of the era.
- Having multiple variants including Atlas-C Able and Atlas-D Able, demonstrating adaptability for different mission requirements.

## Body
### Technical Classification and Development
Atlas-Able is classified as a rocket series and serves as an expendable launch vehicle used for space missions. The system was developed by Convair and General Dynamics, key American aerospace manufacturers during the Cold War era. As a specialized configuration of the Atlas missile family, it adapted existing missile technology for scientific and exploration purposes. It belongs to both the Atlas class family and the broader category of expendable launch vehicles that are expended after a single use.

### Mission History
The Atlas-Able's first flight occurred on November 26, 1959, establishing it as an operational space launch system. The rocket was associated with several Pioneer lunar probe missions, including Pioneer P-3, Pioneer P-30, and Pioneer P-31. However, these missions encountered difficulties with Pioneer P-3 being destroyed during a launch failure and Pioneer P-31 also failing as a lunar orbiter probe. Pioneer P-30 was notable for failing to even be successfully launched.

### Variants and Wikimedia Presence
Atlas-Able exists in at least two known variants: Atlas-C Able and Atlas-D Able. The system's country of origin is the United States, reflecting its development within the American space program of the late 1950s. The entity has 7 sitelinks across various Wikimedia projects, indicating moderate coverage in reference materials. It appears in multiple Wikipedia languages including English, Galician, Hebrew, Polish, Portuguese, and Russian. The Commons category for this entity is "Atlas Able," and it has a dedicated image available at Wikimedia Commons.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Atlas-Able",
  "description": "American expendable launch vehicle and rocket series variant",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas-Able",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165022",
    "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Able"
  ],
  "additionalType": "rocket series",
  "applicationCategory": "launch vehicle",
  "countryOfOrigin": "United States",
  "manufacturer": ["Convair", "General Dynamics"],
  "firstFlightDate": "1959-11-26"
}

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013