Atlas-Able in LPR Scale?

[brockrwood]

Just came across this wacky looking launch vehicle: The Atlas-Able of 1959 and 1960. Does anyone know of a low power scale or semi-scale model rocket of this launch vehicle?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas-Able

 

[brockrwood]

Just came across this wacky looking launch vehicle: The Atlas-Able of 1959 and 1960. Does anyone know of a low power scale or semi-scale model rocket of this launch vehicle?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas-Able

Oh wait. Three launches. Three failures. Not a lucky rocket. Still, the N-1 never launched successfully but there are model rockets of the N-1.

 

[lakeroadster]

That would make a neat model rocket... make it happen... scratch build or a kit bash.

 

[aerostadt]

The Thor Able did better.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor-Able
Boyce makes a Thor Able kit.
https://boyceaerospacehobbies.com/search?type=product&q=thor+able
Boyce makes an Atlas kit. Perhaps, a kit-bash might be possible. A lot of the earlier Atlas launches did not do very well. Some of the Pioneer launches to the moon did not make it.

 

[brockrwood]

That would make a neat model rocket... make it happen... scratch build or a kit bash.

Kit bash. Hmm. The top part, “Able”, seems easy enough to scratch build. There must be an Atlas bottom part I could steal from a kit.

 

[rharshberger]

The Thor Able did better.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor-Able
Boyce makes a Thor Able kit.
https://boyceaerospacehobbies.com/search?type=product&q=thor+able
Boyce makes an Atlas kit. Perhaps, a kit-bash might be possible. A lot of the earlier Atlas launches did not do very well. Some of the Pioneer launches to the moon did not make it.

If you contact Alex and Sheree they can make the possibly-possible possible......

 

[brockrwood]

The Thor Able did better.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor-Able
Boyce makes a Thor Able kit.
https://boyceaerospacehobbies.com/search?type=product&q=thor+able
Boyce makes an Atlas kit. Perhaps, a kit-bash might be possible. A lot of the earlier Atlas launches did not do very well. Some of the Pioneer launches to the moon did not make it.

There’s the Able part! With a Thor bottom left over to play with!

 

[lakeroadster]

There’s the Able part! With a Thor bottom left over to play with!

Nothing worse than a "Thor bottom"....

 

[rharshberger]

Nothing worse than a "Thor bottom"....

Or a Big Red Thor....or a Little Thor...

 

[Ez2cDave]

If you contact Alex and Sheree they can make the possibly-possible possible......

If you contact me, I will supply whatever data I may have, albeit very limited.

Dave F.

 

[brockrwood]

If you contact Alex and Sheree they can make the possibly-possible possible......

Alex says he will consider making a scale kit of the Atlas-Able. Fingers crossed. I will buy one of the existing cool kits on his website. “Earnest money”.

 

[rharshberger]

Alex says he will consider making a scale kit of the Atlas-Able. Fingers crossed. I will buy one of the existing cool kits on his website. “Earnest money”.

Alex is usually adaptable that way....

 

[brockrwood]

Oh, it’s actually a 3 stage rocket: Atlas C on the bottom, Able second stage, and “Altair” third stage.

 

[PeterAlway]

Be aware that the nose of the Atlas Able is not the same as either of the Thor-Able noses. Thor-Able had either a hemispherical nosecone, or one that resembles the later bulging Thor-Delta nosecone. The Atlas able had either a weird bulging blob of a nose, or one with an enlarged cylindrical section. From a quick Google image search:

Blobby nose Atlas Able:


Cylindrical-fairing Atlas Able:


Notice that the adapter at the top of the Atlas is different, too. Unfortunately I haven't found any dimensional data on either version, so you are probably stuck working from photos, or drawings that were probably done from photos originally.

 

[brockrwood]

Be aware that the nose of the Atlas Able is not the same as either of the Thor-Able noses. Thor-Able had either a hemispherical nosecone, or one that resembles the later bulging Thor-Delta nosecone. The Atlas able had either a weird bulging blob of a nose, or one with an enlarged cylindrical section. From a quick Google image search:

Blobby nose Atlas Able:
View attachment 505259

Cylindrical-fairing Atlas Able:
View attachment 505260

Notice that the adapter at the top of the Atlas is different, too. Unfortunately I haven't found any dimensional data on either version, so you are probably stuck working from photos, or drawings that were probably done from photos originally.

I will take “semi-scale”. . I just like look of the fat first stage and the skinny weird bulbous second stage.

 

[brockrwood]

So, the Mercury-Atlas 3, launched on April 5, 1961, had to be destroyed by the RSO because the pitch and roll system malfunctioned. On February 20, 1962, less than a year later, Mercury-Atlas 6 carried John Glenn into orbit for three orbits of Planet Earth. Seriously? From malfunctioning rocket, two more tests, and then go ahead and put a human on top of that Roman Candle? Methinks the human carrying launches of the early space program were darned lucky.

 

[rharshberger]

So, the Mercury-Atlas 3, launched on April 5, 1961, had to be destroyed by the RSO because the pitch and roll system malfunctioned. On February 20, 1962, less than a year later, Mercury-Atlas 6 carried John Glenn into orbit for three orbits of Planet Earth. Seriously? From malfunctioning rocket, two more tests, and then go ahead and put a human on top of that Roman Candle? Methinks the human carrying launches of the early space program were darned lucky.

National Pride was on the line....some times you get lucky...the next time you kill 7 astronauts....

 

[brockrwood]

Be aware that the nose of the Atlas Able is not the same as either of the Thor-Able noses. Thor-Able had either a hemispherical nosecone, or one that resembles the later bulging Thor-Delta nosecone. The Atlas able had either a weird bulging blob of a nose, or one with an enlarged cylindrical section. From a quick Google image search:

Blobby nose Atlas Able:
View attachment 505259

Cylindrical-fairing Atlas Able:
View attachment 505260

Notice that the adapter at the top of the Atlas is different, too. Unfortunately I haven't found any dimensional data on either version, so you are probably stuck working from photos, or drawings that were probably done from photos originally.

Thanks for pointing this out! Did each of those early rockets differ from the past one? It seems like there was a lot of experimentation and modifications going on between each launch.

 

[Antares JS]

Seriously? From malfunctioning rocket, two more tests, and then go ahead and put a human on top of that Roman Candle? Methinks the human carrying launches of the early space program were darned lucky.

This attitude grossly underestimates and discredits the amount of engineering work that goes into solving these kinds of problems. The Atlas was found to require structural reinforcement in a certain spot, the reinforcement was added, and the next Atlases worked. The problem was solved and a solution was implemented. There was no luck involved.

 

[smstachwick]

This attitude grossly underestimates and discredits the amount of engineering work that goes into solving these kinds of problems. The Atlas was found to require structural reinforcement in a certain spot, the reinforcement was added, and the next Atlases worked. The problem was solved and a solution was implemented. There was no luck involved.

Even so, the astronauts were a little nervous about flying on one of those. John Glenn famously expressed his disapproval of the plan to put the Mercury astronauts on converted ballistic missiles after witnessing a pretty spectacular explosion on the launch pad.

 

[brockrwood]

This attitude grossly underestimates and discredits the amount of engineering work that goes into solving these kinds of problems. The Atlas was found to require structural reinforcement in a certain spot, the reinforcement was added, and the next Atlases worked. The problem was solved and a solution was implemented. There was no luck involved.

I understand. I have nothing but appreciation and gratitude for hardworking engineers, I swear! It just seemed like a really “fast track” development and launch schedule. Mercury-Atlas 3 had to be destroyed. Mercury-Atlas 4, with the “robot astronaut”worked, but had some bugs. Mercury-Atlas 5, with Enos the chimpanzee as the astronaut, also worked, with fewer bugs. The Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle was then declared “human-rated” and John Glenn was launched into orbit on Mercury-Atlas 6. Total elpased time: 10 months. Total successful launches for the Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle between Mercury-Atlas 1 and Mercury-Atlas 9 (the last one): 7 out of 9. When Mercury-Atlas 6 with John Glenn launched, the Mercury-Atlas vehicle had failed twice and succeeded three times. A 3:2 success to failure rate. Just saying. The Mercury astronauts had the “right stuff”. Or they were just plain crazy.

 

[smstachwick]

I understand. I have nothing but appreciation and gratitude for hardworking engineers, I swear! It just seemed like a really “fast track” development and launch schedule. Mercury-Atlas 3 had to be destroyed. Mercury-Atlas 4, with the “robot astronaut”worked, but had some bugs. Mercury-Atlas 5, with Enos the chimpanzee as the astronaut, also worked, with fewer bugs. The Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle was then declared “human-rated” and John Glenn was launched into orbit on Mercury-Atlas 6. Total elpased time: 10 months. Total successful launches for the Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle between Mercury-Atlas 1 and Mercury-Atlas 9 (the last one): 7 out of 9. When Mercury-Atlas 6 with John Glenn launched, the Mercury-Atlas vehicle had failed twice and succeeded three times. A 3:2 success to failure rate. Just saying. The Mercury astronauts had the “right stuff”. Or they were just plain crazy.

I’m going with crazy. We know the Russians didn’t give a flying falcon.

 

[lakeroadster]

This attitude grossly underestimates and discredits the amount of engineering work that goes into solving these kinds of problems. The Atlas was found to require structural reinforcement in a certain spot, the reinforcement was added, and the next Atlases worked. The problem was solved and a solution was implemented. There was no luck involved.

Come on now... when things go right, and do so on such a grand scale..... There's always a little luck involved..

 

[lakeroadster]

 

[GuyNoir]

Be aware that the nose of the Atlas Able is not the same as either of the Thor-Able noses. Thor-Able had either a hemispherical nosecone, or one that resembles the later bulging Thor-Delta nosecone. The Atlas able had either a weird bulging blob of a nose, or one with an enlarged cylindrical section.

I don't know, Pete. This picture of the payload doesn't look weird to me. At least, I think I can build it. (Picture courtesy of Marc McReynolds.)

 

[lakeroadster]

I don't know, Pete. This picture of the payload doesn't look weird to me.

"Schnozzola"

 

[Ez2cDave]

A few items . . . ENJOY !

Dave F.

 

[Rob Campbell]

NASA's CATO Express. Three launch attempts and three catastrophic failures.

 

[lakeroadster]

NASA's CATO Express. Three launch attempts and three catastrophic failures.

E motors?

 

[lakeroadster]

Way cool... Thanks @Ez2cDave. You've inspired me to look at a scratch built mpr version... Link to Thread: Atlas-Able Semi-Scale Mid-Power

Two LR89 boosters, a single LR105 sustainer engine, and two LR101 vernier engines that provided roll control and fine targeting.

The boat tail and outboard booster engines were jettisoned after about two minutes. The sustainer and verniers ran for the rest of the boost.