A  Brief  History  of  the   Atlas  ICBM Missile Program 

The Atlas missile system was developed over several years beginning in the late 1950s. The Atlas missile itself was used in various capacities, first as an intercontinental ballistic missile, (ICBM) part of the US defense system, and also as a launch platform for the Mercury other space exploration and satellite launch programs. The Atlas missile that saw ICBM duty in this silo was later used to launch the first GPS satellite in February, 1978.

As an ICBM, it had three main iterations, the D, E and F models. While there were some differences between the D and later E and F models, the main difference was in the launch systems. The D was truck mounted, stored horizontally on an erector/transporter, and launched from relatively unprotected facilities. 

The E was stored horizontally in a “coffin” style bunker and while not a completely hardened structure, this offered much greater protection from incoming missile strikes. The F system, the last Atlas model, consisted of a hardened silo facility where the missile was stored vertically, then lifted to the surface on a platform and launched. It was the first in-ground vertical launch system and was the prototype for all systems in use today. There were 72 of these silos built between 1960 and 1962 and they remained operational until 1965 when they were decommissioned. Some silos were salvaged, and all later sold to private parties or given to local municipalities and school districts. Because the deactivation of the Atlas systems preceded the 1972 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) between the US and the Soviet Union, they were not subject to the restrictions and limitations imposed on later missile systems of both countries.