Athena I

Athena I was a family of American expendable launch systems developed by Lockheed Martin. It was designed to provide low-cost access to space for small and medium-sized payloads. The Athena I was a two-stage rocket, derived from the earlier Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV) program.

The first stage of the Athena I used a Thiokol Castor 120 solid rocket motor, while the second stage used a Pratt & Whitney ORBUS 21D solid rocket motor. It was capable of launching payloads of up to 860 kg (1,900 lbs) to low Earth orbit (LEO).

Two Athena I rockets were launched. The first, on August 15, 1995, failed shortly after launch. The second, on January 6, 1998, successfully placed the Lunar Prospector spacecraft into lunar orbit.

Following the successful Lunar Prospector mission, the Athena I was superseded by the more powerful Athena II rocket, which featured a liquid-fueled upper stage. The Athena program was eventually discontinued in favor of other launch systems. While short-lived, the Athena I demonstrated a path towards lower cost launch vehicles and contributed to the overall development of space launch technology in the United States.