NASA's ATLAS rocket is a family of American missiles and space launch vehicles. It was originally developed by the United States Air Force in the 1950s, and has since been used for a variety of military and civilian purposes. The ATLAS rocket is capable of carrying payloads of up to 8, 000 pounds into low Earth orbit. It is also used as an upper stage for larger rockets, such as the Delta IV Heavy. The ATLAS rocket is one of the most reliable and cost-effective launch vehicles available today.