SM-65 Atlas
Intercontinental ballistic missiles
Country of origin
United States
United States
ManufacturerConvair
The SM-65 Atlas was the first operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by the United States and the first member of the Atlas rocket family. It was built for the U.S. Air Force by the Convair Division of General Dynamics at an assembly plant located in Kearny Mesa, San Diego.
The development of the Atlas began in 1946, but over the next few years the project underwent several cancellations and re-starts. The deepening of the Cold War and intelligence showing the Soviet Union was working on an ICBM design led to it becoming a crash project in late 1952, along with the creation of several other missile projects to ensure one would enter service as soon as possible. The first test launch occurred on June 11, 1957, and was aborted shortly after launch due to a pitchover event. The first success of the Soviet R-7 Semyorka in August gave the program new urgency, leading to the first successful Atlas A launch on December 17, 1957. Of the eight flights of the A model, only three were successful, but the later models demonstrated increasing reliability and the D model was cleared for use.
Atlas C was declared operational in September 1959. Even at that time it was considered...
The development of the Atlas began in 1946, but over the next few years the project underwent several cancellations and re-starts. The deepening of the Cold War and intelligence showing the Soviet Union was working on an ICBM design led to it becoming a crash project in late 1952, along with the creation of several other missile projects to ensure one would enter service as soon as possible. The first test launch occurred on June 11, 1957, and was aborted shortly after launch due to a pitchover event. The first success of the Soviet R-7 Semyorka in August gave the program new urgency, leading to the first successful Atlas A launch on December 17, 1957. Of the eight flights of the A model, only three were successful, but the later models demonstrated increasing reliability and the D model was cleared for use.
Atlas C was declared operational in September 1959. Even at that time it was considered...
