"Explorer8939" wrote in message
om...
I vaguely recall that in the long era of the 1990s, there were a few
Atlas II launches did not carry the small sustainer engines, but
rather just the two booster engines, which fired until all propellant
was consumed. Was this just a dream, or did Lockheed build a few of
these?

Or am I simply confusing Atlas III with Atlas II?

Back when the first Atlas missiles were flown the first test vehicles
had only the two booster engines and the propulsion system was
not separated. This was back in 1957-58.

I don't know of any later Atlas missiles that didn't have the sustainer
engine until the Atlas III.

Mike Walsh