Atlas SLV3D Centaur D1A Star 37E

Mission Profile

The Atlas SLV-3D Centaur D1A Star 37E was a two-to-three-stage American launch vehicle combining the Atlas SLV-3D booster, Centaur D1A cryogenic upper stage, and a Star 37E solid kick motor for precise planetary orbit insertion and high-energy trajectory delivery. Standing 41 m tall with a 3.1 m diameter and a liftoff mass of 148 tonnes, it generated 2,087 kN of first-stage thrust. First flown in June 1973, this configuration was used for planetary science missions requiring the additional velocity increment from the solid kick motor beyond what the Centaur alone could deliver, enabling precise orbit insertion at targets beyond Earth orbit.