Athena III
Athena II with Lunar Prospector
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|
| Function | Small, modular component launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer |
Lockheed Martin Alliant Techsystems |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 19.8 - 30.48 m (65 - 100 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.36 m (92 in) |
| Mass | 66,344 - 120,202 kg (146,264 - 265,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 or 3 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | 794 - 1,896 kg (1,750 - 4,350 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | |
| Total launches | 7 For breakdown by variant, see text. Launch data. |
| Successes | 5 |
| Failures | 2 |
| First flight | August 15, 1995 |
| Last flight | September 30, 2001 |
| Notable payloads | Lunar Prospector |
| First stage - Castor-120 | |
| Engines | 1 |
| Thrust | 1,900 kN (435,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 280 seconds |
| Burn time | 83.4 seconds |
| Fuel | Class 1.3 Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB-a polymer) propellant |
| Second stage - ORBUS 21D | |
| Engines | 1 |
| Thrust | 194 kN (43,723 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 293 seconds |
| Burn time | 150 seconds |
| Fuel | Class 1.3 Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB-a polymer) propellant |
Athena was a 1990s Lockheed Martin expendable launch system which underwent several name changes in its lifetime.
Development began at the Lockheed Corporation in 1993, where the design was known as the Lockheed Launch Vehicle. The name was subsequently changed to the Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle when Lockheed merged with Martin Marietta. Late in the program's life the name was finally changed to Athena, and all of the launches after the demonstration flight in August 1995 were conducted using that name. Athena was retired from service in 2001, however in 2010 it was announced that it would be put back into production, with launches set to resume in 2012. In September 2010 Athena was added to NASA's Launch Services II contract. As of May 2016[update] no such flight has materialized.
The Athena comes in two versions, Athena I and Athena II. The Athena I has two stages, the Thiokol Castor-120 first stage and a Pratt & Whitney ORBUS 21D upper stage, both powered by solid-fuel. The Athena II has three stages, the Castor-120 first and second stages, and an ORBUS 21D upper stage. For future flights, the Athena Ic and Athena IIc configurations would use Castor 30 stages instead of the Orbus 21D stages on the original versions.
The Athena rocket uses an Orbit Adjust Module (OAM) developed by Primex Technologies. Primex was acquired by General Dynamics in 2001. For the September 28th, 2001 Athena launch, the OAM was built by General Dynamics Space Propulsion Systems of Redmond, WA. The OAM houses the attitude control system and avionics subsystem (guidance and navigation, batteries, telemetry transmitters, command and destruct receivers and antennas). This 1 meter (3.3 feet) long module is fueled with monopropellant hydrazine. After payload separation, the OAM performs a contamination and collision avoidance maneuver, distancing itself from the payload and burning any remaining fuel to depletion. Athena solid rocket motor provider ATK produces integrated upper stages using spin-stabilized or 3-axis stabilized Star solid motors that can provide higher velocities for GEO and escape (e.g. lunar and planetary) missions. Such an integrated upper stage based on a 2531 lb Star 37FM was employed for the launch of Lunar Prospector, the first lunar probe launched by a commercially developed launch vehicle.
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