# Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D > type of American expendable launch vehicle **Wikidata**: [Q99672608](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q99672608) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/atlas-slv-3b-agena-d ## Summary The **Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D** is an American expendable launch vehicle and a specific rocket model within the Atlas-Agena family. Manufactured by Convair, it consists of an Atlas SLV-3 first stage paired with an Agena-D upper stage. Its recorded service life includes a first flight and retirement date of April 8, 1966. ## Key Facts - **Type:** American expendable launch vehicle (rocket model). - **Parent Class:** Subclass of the Atlas-Agena D launch system. - **Manufacturer:** Convair (United States). - **Composition:** Combines an Atlas SLV-3 booster with an Agena-D upper stage. - **First Flight:** April 8, 1966. - **Service Retirement:** April 8, 1966. - **Country of Origin:** United States. - **Wikidata Description:** "type of American expendable launch vehicle." ## FAQs ### What are the main components of the Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D? The vehicle is a two-stage system comprising an Atlas SLV-3 booster as the first stage and an Agena-D upper stage. ### Who manufactured the Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D? The rocket was manufactured by Convair, an American aerospace company, and originated in the United States. ### When did the Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D operate? According to structured data, the vehicle's first flight occurred on April 8, 1966, which is also listed as its service retirement date. ### What distinguishes the Atlas-Agena D family? The Atlas-Agena D family, to which this vehicle belongs, is distinguished by its use of the Agena-D upper stage, which offers restart capability and higher payload capacity. It served both civilian agencies like NASA and military customers like the U.S. Department of Defense. ## Why It Matters The Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D represents a specific configuration of the Atlas-Agena D system, which played a pivotal role in the United States' early space endeavors. As part of the family that provided a reliable, high-performance launch platform, it contributed to the formative years of interplanetary exploration and Cold War reconnaissance. The broader Atlas-Agena D system demonstrated that a single launch architecture could serve both scientific and defense needs, influencing the development of future dual-use rockets and establishing the U.S. as a leader in space deployment. The technology and operational experience gained from these vehicles informed later launch designs and modular architectures. ## Notable For - **Dual-Use Capability:** Belongs to a family that served both civilian (NASA) and military (DoD) customers. - **Modular Design:** Utilizes the Agena-D stage, known for its restart capability and versatility in reaching various orbits. - **Family Legacy:** Is a subclass of the launch system that supported the first successful U.S. flyby of Mars (Mariner 4). - **Specific Configuration:** Represents the specific pairing of the Atlas SLV-3 booster with the Agena-D upper stage. ## Body ### Overview The Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D is classified as a rocket model and type of expendable launch system originating from the United States. It functions as a subclass of the broader Atlas-Agena D launch vehicle family. The system follows a modular design philosophy typical of the Atlas-Agena line, stacking a first-stage booster beneath an upper stage to deliver payloads to orbit. ### Architecture and Stages The vehicle integrates two primary components to form its expendable launch architecture: * **First Stage:** An Atlas SLV-3 booster, derived from the Atlas family of missiles and launch vehicles, providing the initial thrust to escape the lower atmosphere. * **Second Stage:** An Agena-D upper stage. This stage includes its own propulsion and guidance systems, offering restart capability which allows for precise orbital insertion and complex mission profiles. ### Parent System: Atlas-Agena D The Atlas SLV-3B Agena-D is a specific variant of the **Atlas-Agena D**, the parent launch system also manufactured by Convair. * **Mission Portfolio:** The parent system was utilized for a wide range of high-profile missions. This included planetary probes such as **Mariner 3** and **Mariner 4** (the first successful Mars flyby), as well as reconnaissance and monitoring satellites like the **Vela series** (Vela 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B) for nuclear detonation detection and **ERS satellites** (ERS 12, 13, 17) for signals intelligence. * **Operational Context:** The Atlas-Agena D family was active during the early-to-mid-1960s and has since been retired. It was renowned for its flexibility, capable of delivering payloads to low-Earth orbit or interplanetary trajectories. ### Operational Data * **First Flight:** April 8, 1966 * **Service Retirement:** April 8, 1966 * **Manufacturer:** Convair * **Wikidata ID:** Instance of "rocket model" with the description "type of American expendable launch vehicle." * **Language Coverage:** The parent concept has an existing entry in Polish Wikipedia (language code pl).