Editing SM-65 Atlas (section)

=== SM-65E Atlas ===
{{main | SM-65E Atlas }}
[[File:Atlas-5E rocket-02.jpg|thumb|150x150px|Atlas-E missile (s/n 5E), Cape Canaveral LC-11.]]
The '''SM-65E Atlas''', or '''Atlas-E''', was the first 3-engine operational variant of the Atlas missile, the third engine resulting from splitting the two booster thrust chambers into separate engines with independent sets of turbopumps. It first flew on 11 October 1960, and was deployed as an operational [[ICBM]] from September 1961 until March 1965.<ref>James N. Gibson, ''Nuclear Weapons of the United States, An Illustrated History'', pp. 11–14, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, PA, 1996</ref>

A major enhancement in the Atlas E was the new all-inertial system that obviated the need for ground control facilities. Since the missiles were no longer tied to a central guidance control facility, the launchers could be dispersed more widely in what was called a 1&nbsp;×&nbsp;9 configuration, with one missile silo located at one launch site each for the nine missiles assigned to the squadron.<ref name="FEWarren"/>

Atlas-E launches were conducted from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, at Launch Complexes 11 and 13, and Vandenberg Air Force Base at [[Vandenberg AFB Operational Silo Test Facility]], Vandenberg AFB Launch Complex 576 and [[Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3]].<ref name="EA" />