Re: 50th anniversary of first Atlas launch
- From: Chris Jones <clj@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 14 Jun 2007 15:57:02 -0400
"Scott M. Kozel" <kozelsm@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
[...]
"In the 50 years since, Atlas rockets have carried astronauts into
space, pushed the first commercial payloads into orbit and lifted
probes that have explored every planet in the solar system".
Untrue for Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
The Pioneer 10 and 11 (Jupiter and Saturn) launch vehicle was Atlas-
Centaur.
The Voyager 1 and 2 (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) launch
vehicle was Titan-Centaur.
The New Horizons (Pluto) launch vehicle was Atlas V, but the
spacecraft will not reach Pluto until 2015.
I'm on the side that contends Pluto is not a planet, but the
first-discovered (and not even largest) Kuiper Belt object. Which
doesn't diminish my interest in it at all, and I'm glad objects like it,
asteroids, and comets are receiving more attention and visits from
probes.
(Some days I feel like arguing Mercury isn't a planet but rather the
only extant example of some other kind of object, but I won't go there
today...)
.
- References:
- 50th anniversary of first Atlas launch
- From: Jim Oberg
- Re: 50th anniversary of first Atlas launch
- From: james_powers
- Re: 50th anniversary of first Atlas launch
- From: Dave Michelson
- Re: 50th anniversary of first Atlas launch
- From: Scott M. Kozel
- 50th anniversary of first Atlas launch
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