The Athena rocket is a Lockheed Martin launch vehicle. It has undergone several name changes in its lifetime. Initially developed in 1993 as the Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV) at its inception at the Lockheed Corporation, the name was changed to the Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle when its developing company merged with Martin Marietta. Late in the program's life the name was finally changed to the current name of Athena.
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. The Athena II has three stages, the Castor-120 first and second stages, and an ORBUS ® 21D upper stage.
The Athena rocket uses the Primex Technologies Orbit Adjust Module (OAM). 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.
An Athena III rocket was planned, but never developed. It was to add a Castor-4A stage to the stack.
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Author(s): Sparkle Junot (2007 October 26)
