KEY TERMS

• • Atlas V Rocket

    The Juno spacecraft was launched aboard an Atlas V 551 rocket on Aug. 5, 2011. Atlas refers to a family of expendable launch vehicles that has played a major role in U.S. space history and dates back to the 1950s. The Atlas V (in service since 2002) uses a core booster; zero-to-five, strap-on, solid rocket boosters (SRBs); a Centaur upper stage; and one of several payload fairings.