| Launch Vehicle Summary |
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The launch vehicle supplies almost all the energy that the spacecraft needs in order to get from Earth to Mars.
Read more about the launch vehicle here, or find out what will happen during launch in the Mission Timeline.
Orbiter will launch on an Atlas V-401
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will use an Atlas V-401 launch vehicle,
the smallest of the Atlas V family. It is 57 meters (188 feet) tall. This
launch vehicle was selected because it provides the performance needed
to fly a large spacecraft to Mars in the 2005 launch period.
Although the geometry of Earth and Mars permit missions to be
launched every two years, the 2005 mission requires more performance
than for 2003 and 2007 launch dates given the position of the planets
in their orbits. In addition, this spacecraft is heavier than previous
Mars missions.
Details about the Launch Vehicle
The Atlas V was developed by Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch
Services as part of the US Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
(EELV) program. The term "expendable launch vehicle" means
it is only used once.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter version of the vehicle is a
two-stage launch vehicle that does not use solid rocket boosters.
The two-stage rocket is simpler than previous three-stage rockets and
has better performance.
The total vehicle weight at liftoff is about 333,000 kilograms
(733,000 pounds). Of this total, about 305,000 kg (672,000 lb) is fuel.
To launch the orbiter and set it on its course to Mars, the Atlas V will
accelerate the spacecraft to about 11,000 meters per second
(25,000 miles per hour).
The main components of the launch vehicle are the:
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