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Atlas-Able | P-3
United States Air ForceLaunch Failure

P-3

Atlas-Able

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Historical mission record

This page records Atlas-Able | P-3 and its reported outcome: Launch Failure. The date above is a historical record.

Source record updated . This is a source update, not a confirmed launch time.

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Mission status
Launch Failure

Status reported by the mission data provider.

LAUNCH SITECape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Mission

The Pioneer P-1, -3, -30 and -31 series was intended to be a lunar orbiter probe, but the mission failed shortly after launch. The objectives were to place a highly instrumented probe in lunar orbit, to investigate the environment between the Earth and Moon, and to develop technology for controlling and maneuvering spacecraft from Earth.

Launch vehicle
Atlas-Able
Mission type
Lunar Exploration
Destination orbit
Lunar Orbit
Launch pad
Space Launch Complex 14
Provider
United States Air Force

The vehicle

Published configuration and flight history.

Atlas-Able
United States Air Force
Launch vehicle

Atlas-Able

The Atlas-Able was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch several Pioneer spacecraft towards the Moon. Of the five Atlas-Able rockets built, two failed during static firings, and the other three failed to reach orbit.

Height
35 m
Diameter
3.05 m
Stages
3
Recorded launches
3
First flight
1959-11-26

Recorded timing

This is a mission record, not an upcoming calendar appointment.

Instantaneous windowPublished target
SCHEDULED MOMENT

A single scheduled moment. The schedule may change before launch.

Launch site & orbit

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

The mission in perspective

Launch site

DestinationLunar Orbit

Explore the launch pad on Earth using its published coordinates.

Explore Earth’s orbits
NASA Blue Marble map of Earth's continents and oceans
Geographic view · illustrative lightingNo live tracking or simulated ascent. NASA Blue Marble.

Coverage & sources

Links supplied by the mission data provider.
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Mission coverage

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Further reading

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