Science

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

8. I'm not a rocket scientist, even metaphorically, Manny. I am, however, a big ol' space nerd.

Wed Jan 28, 2015, 03:44 AM

Jan 2015

Looking at the evolution of the family of the thing, I'd say that the portion that looks to have remained mostly the same is just the central core, probably mostly just the fuel tanks, etc- although as others have noted it is now using 2 Russian Engines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_%28rocket_family%29

Mercury-Atlas:

The Atlas V:

A depiction of the Atlas V paired with the Boeing CST: (in these depictions the Atlas does not have the side SRBs it is shown with in the upper configuration)

In terms of aesthetics, I have to vote for the Falcon-Dragon combo. The Atlas with the CST sort of looks like some kind of giant knobby vibrator.

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NASA, Boeing, SpaceX Outline Objectives to Station Flights [View all] friendly_iconoclast Jan 2015 OP

When is the last time we put a human being on top of an Atlas rocket? Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #1

True- but Atlas rockets *work*, which is why they're still in use friendly_iconoclast Jan 2015 #2

Oh, Im not saying it's a bad idea. Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #3

They must be way more powerful than the Atlases of yore? MannyGoldstein Jan 2015 #4

I'm not a rocket scientist, even metaphorically, Manny. I am, however, a big ol' space nerd. Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #8

Yes and the Atlas V uses a Russian RD-180 rocket engine. gordianot Jan 2015 #5

About that: "U.S. Defense Department Balks at RD-180 Replacement Program" friendly_iconoclast Jan 2015 #6

How's that for irony? gordianot Jan 2015 #7

ULA was too cheap to buy a license to build RD-180s when US/RU relations were better friendly_iconoclast Jan 2015 #9