List of Atlas launches (1960–1969)

Launch statistics

Rocket configurations

Launch sites

Launch outcomes

1960 Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks1960-01-0701:40Atlas D43DCCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1960-01-2623:43Atlas D6DVAFB 576A3ICBM testSuborbital1960-01-2701:31Atlas D44DCCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1960-02-1204:11Atlas D49DCCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1960-02-2617:25Atlas-Agena A LV-329DCCAFS LC-14MIDAS 1Missile warningLEO (target)Agena RSO charges accidentally fired at staging, leading to vehicle breakup. First launch of the Atlas-Agena vehicle.1960-03-0813:10Atlas D42DCCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbital1960-03-1100:36Atlas D51DCCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalCombustion instability in B-1 engine. Missile fell back onto the pad and exploded.1960-04-0813:10Atlas D48DCCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbitalCombustion instability in B-2 engine. Missile exploded on the pad.1960-04-2219:39Atlas D25DVAFB 576B2ICBM testSuborbital1960-05-0619:39Atlas D23DVAFB 576B2ICBM testSuborbitalPitch gyro motor shorted, causing loss of control. RSO T+25 seconds1960-05-2015:00Atlas D56DCCAFS LC-12ICBM testSuborbital1960-05-2417:36Atlas-Agena A LV-345DCCAFS LC-14MIDAS 2Missile warningLEO1960-06-1106:30Atlas D54DCCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbital1960-06-2214:49Atlas D62DCCAFS LC-14ICBM testSuborbital1960-06-2802:30Atlas D27DCCAFS LC-12ICBM testSuborbital1960-07-0206:58Atlas D60DCCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbitalShort in relay box caused decrease in propulsion system performance. The missile impacted 40 miles short of its intended target point.1960-07-2223:46Atlas D74DVAFB 576B1ICBM testSuborbitalGyro spin motor failure resulted in an unplanned pitch maneuver that exceeded the missile's structural limits and caused vehicle breakup at T+69 seconds.1960-07-2913:13Atlas D50DCCAFS LC-14Mercury-Atlas 1Mercury testSuborbitalExcessive aerodynamic bending of the Mercury adapter interface results in Atlas structural failure T+58 seconds. First attempted launch of a Mercury capsule.1960-08-0918:09Atlas D32DCCAFS LC-12ICBM testSuborbital1960-08-1213:00Atlas D66DCCAFS LC-12ICBM testSuborbitalAtlas portion of flight successful, RVX-2A reentry vehicle not recovered1960-09-1220:38Atlas D47DVAFB 576B3ICBM testSuborbitalSustainer engine lost thrust due to failure of helium control pressure1960-09-1700:50Atlas D76DCCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbital1960-09-1918:31Atlas D79DCCAFS LC-14ICBM testSuborbital1960-09-2515:13Atlas-Able80DCCAFS LC-12Pioneer P-30Lunar probeHEO (target)Second stage propellant feed malfunction1960-09-2920:31Atlas D33DVAFB 576B2ICBM testSuborbitalStaging electrical disconnect plug pulled out T+125 seconds, causing premature BECO and failure of booster section to jettison. Missile impacted 1200 miles off target.1960-10-1119:15Atlas E3ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalFirst Atlas E launch. Sustainer hydraulic rise-off disconnect failed due to radiated heat, causing loss of hydraulic fluid and sustainer shutdown T+40 seconds. Missile tumbled following staging and broke up at T+154 seconds.1960-10-1120:33Atlas-Agena A LV-357DVAFB SLC-3WSamos 1Optical reconnaissance LEO (target)Improper pad umbilical disconnect caused loss of Agena pressurization gas.1960-10-1304:53Atlas D81DVAFB 576B3ICBM testSuborbitalLOX tank sensing line rise-off disconnect failed due to radiated heat. Overpressurization of the LOX tank ruptured the intermediate bulkhead followed by missile self-destruction at T+71 seconds.1960-10-1309:34Atlas D71DCCAFS LC-11Biological nose cone w/ three miceICBM testSuborbital1960-10-2209:34Atlas D55DCCAFS LC-12ICBM testSuborbital1960-11-1505:54Atlas D83DCCAFS LC-12ICBM testSuborbital1960-11-3001:12Atlas E4ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalSustainer hydraulic rise-off disconnect failed due to radiated heat, causing loss of hydraulic fluid and sustainer shutdown T+40 seconds. Missile tumbled following staging, but remained structurally intact until impact with the ocean.1960-12-1509:10Atlas-Able91DCCAFS LC-12Pioneer P-31Lunar probeHEO (target)Vibration and/or flying debris from Able adapter section ruptured Atlas LOX tank T+66 seconds, followed by complete vehicle self-destruction at T+73 seconds.1960-12-1604:53Atlas D99DVAFB 576B3ICBM testSuborbital

1961 Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks1961-01-2321:02Atlas D90DCCAFS LC-12ICBM testSuborbitalFinal R&D flight of a D-series Atlas1961-01-2421:55Atlas E8ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalAerodynamic heating shorted the vernier feedback transducer, resulting in unstable flight trajectory1961-01-3120:21Atlas-Agena A LV-370DVAFB SLC-3W Samos 2Optical reconnaissance LEO1961-02-2114:12Atlas D67DCCAFS LC-14Mercury-Atlas 2Mercury testSuborbitalFirst successful launch of a Mercury-Atlas1961-02-2418:29Atlas E9ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalFirst successful launch of an Atlas-E1961-03-1404:17Atlas E13ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalPropellant utilization malfunction results in premature fuel depletion and sustainer shutdown1961-03-2501:49Atlas E16ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalWiring error results in loss of helium control bottle gas, no gas left to perform booster jettison1961-04-2516:15Atlas-D100DCCAFS LC-14Mercury-Atlas 3Uncrewed spacecraftLEO (target)First attempted orbital Mercury launch. Pitch and roll sequence failed to initiate due to short or open circuit in missile programmer. RSO T+43 seconds. Capsule successfully recovered.1961-05-1302:00Atlas E12ECCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbital1961-05-2421:50Atlas D95DVAFB 576B2ICBM testSuborbital1961-05-2602:26Atlas E18ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1961-06-0721:13Atlas E27EVAFB OSTF-1ICBM testSuborbitalFirst attempted launch of an Atlas E from VAFB. Vehicle exploded at liftoff due to combustion instability in the B-1 engine.1961-06-2303:00Atlas E17ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalGyro spin motor set to incorrect speed, causing excessive pitch rate and missile self-destruction at T+101 seconds.1961-07-0704:51Atlas E22ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1961-07-1215:11Atlas-Agena A LV-397DVAFB SLC-3EMIDAS 3Missile warningMEO1961-07-3121:32Atlas E21ECCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbital1961-08-0904:31Atlas F2FCCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalMaiden flight of Atlas F1961-08-2304:31Atlas D101DVAFB 576B3ICBM testSuborbital1961-08-2310:04Atlas-Agena B LV-3111DCCAFS LC-12Ranger 1Lunar impact probeHEO (target)Agena failed to restart due to electrical short; spacecraft left in LEO.1961-09-0901:42Atlas E26ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbitalSustainer engine lost thrust due to gas generator failure following booster staging.1961-09-0919:28Atlas-Agena B LV-3106DVAFB SLC-3W Samos 3Optical reconnaissance LEO (target)Improper umbilical eject sequence causes loss of electrical power. Vehicle fell back onto the pad and exploded.1961-09-1314:04Atlas-D88DCCAFS LC-14Mercury-Atlas 4Uncrewed spacecraftLEO1961-10-0218:23Atlas E25ECCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbital1961-10-0513:42Atlas E30ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1961-10-2113:53Atlas-Agena B LV-3105DVAFB SLC-3EMIDAS 4Missile warningMEORoll control failed T+186 seconds, satellite placed in an incorrect orbit1961-11-1014:55Atlas E32ECCAFS LC-13Biological nose cone w/ squirrel monkeyICBM testSuborbitalSustainer engine shut down at liftoff due to improperly installed pressure transducer. RSO T+35 seconds.1961-11-1808:12Atlas-Agena B LV-3117DCCAFS LC-12Ranger 2Lunar impact probeHEO (target)Agena failed to restart due to rate gyro malfunction; spacecraft left in LEO.1961-11-2220:45Atlas-Agena B LV-3108DVAFB SLC-3W Samos 4Optical reconnaissance LEO (target)Pitch control failed at T+244 seconds. Agena separated but was left facing in the wrong direction for orbital insertion.1961-11-2221:04Atlas F4FCCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbital1961-11-2915:08Atlas-D93DCCAFS LC-14Mercury-Atlas 5Uncrewed spacecraftLEO1961-11-2923:01Atlas D53DVAFB 576B2ICBM testSuborbital1961-12-0120:40Atlas E35ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1961-12-0721:18Atlas D82DVAFB 576B3ICBM testSuborbital1961-12-1220:16Atlas F5FCCAFS LC-11ICBM testSuborbitalIntermittently shorted diode in guidance system results in premature propulsion system cutoff. Planned range not achieved.1961-12-2003:32Atlas E36ECCAFS LC-13ICBM testSuborbital1961-12-2103:35Atlas F6FCCAFS LC-11Biological nose cone w/ rhesus monkeyICBM testSuborbitalSustainer hydraulic system leak at staging results in loss of hydraulic fluid and engine shutdown. Nose cone separated properly, but was lost at sea after recovery crews failed to locate it.1961-12-2219:12Atlas-Agena B LV-3114DVAFB SLC-3ESamos 5Optical reconnaissance LEOSustainer cutoff timer failed, causing the Atlas to burn to propellant depletion and putting the payload in a higher than planned orbit.

1962