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Thor DM-18 with Pioneer 1 at Cape Canaveral in Florida

Thor was a US space launch vehicle derived from the PGM-17 Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile. The Thor rocket was the first member of the Delta rocket family of space launch vehicles.[1]

Launch statistics

Launch outcome

10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
  •   Failure
  •   Success
  •   Partial Failure

Launch history

The data in this table comes from[2]
Date/Time
(UTC) 		Rocket S/N Launch Site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks
1957-01-26 Thor DM-18 Thor 101 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure Maiden flight of Thor, first launch from LC-17. Contaminated LOX caused loss of thrust at liftoff. Vehicle fell back onto the pad and exploded.
1957-04-20
04:33 		Thor DM-18 Thor 102 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure RSO sent a mistaken destruct command at T+35 seconds due to an incorrect console readout.
1957-08-30 Thor DM-18 Thor 104 CCAFS LC-17A Missile test Suborbital Failure First launch from LC-17A. Control malfunction led to missile breakup at T+92 seconds.
1957-09-20 Thor DM-18 Thor 105 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1957-10-03
17:14 		Thor DM-18 Thor 107 CCAFS LC-17A Missile test Suborbital Failure Stuck valve prevented the gas generator from starting. Missile fell back onto the pad and exploded.
1957-10-11
16:33 		Thor DM-18 Thor 108 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure Turbopump failure at T+152 seconds. Flight considered a "partial success".
1957-10-24
16:32 		Thor DM-18 Thor 109 CCAFS LC-17A Missile test Suborbital Success
1957-12-07
22:11 		Thor DM-18 Thor 112 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1957-12-19
20:12 		Thor DM-18 Thor 113 CCAFS LC-17A Missile test Suborbital Success
1958-01-28
20:16 		Thor DM-18 Thor 114 CCAFS LC-17A Missile test Suborbital Failure Electrical malfunction led to control failure. RSO T+152 seconds.
1958-02-28
13:08 		Thor DM-18 Thor 120 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure Premature engine shutdown at T+109 seconds.
1958-04-19
13:30 		Thor DM-18 Thor 121 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure Missile lost thrust and fell back onto the pad, exploding. Suspected fuel line obstruction.
1958-04-24
00:10 		Thor DM-18 Able Thor 116 CCAFS LC-17A RTV test Suborbital Failure Maiden flight of Thor-Able. Turbopump failure T+146 seconds.
1958-06-04
21:17 		Thor DM-18 Thor 115 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success First launch from LC-18B
1958-06-13
15:06 		Thor DM-18 Thor 122 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1958-07-10
15:06 		Thor DM-18 Able Thor 118 CCAFS LC-17A RTV test Suborbital Success
1958-07-13
06:36 		Thor DM-18 Thor 123 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success Performance was normal through the boost phase, but the BECO and warhead separation signals were never received.
1958-07-23
22:13 		Thor DM-18 Able Thor 119 CCAFS LC-17A RTV test Suborbital Success Biological nose cone containing a mouse. The nose cone sank into the ocean and was not recovered.
1958-07-26
06:40 		Thor DM-18 Thor 126 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure LOX valve malfunction led to loss of thrust and vehicle breakup at T+55 seconds
1958-08-06 Thor DM-18 Thor 117 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success Final flight of Thor DM-18 missile
1958-08-17
12:18 		Thor DM-18 Able-I Thor 127 CCAFS LC-17A Pioneer 0 Lunar orbiter High Altitude Failure Maiden flight of Thor-Able I. First use of a Thor-based vehicle for an orbital launch. Turbopump failure, T+73,6 seconds.
1958-10-11
08:42:13 		Thor DM-18 Able-I Thor 130 CCAFS LC-17A Pioneer 1 Lunar orbiter High Altitude Failure Third stage underperformed
1958-11-05
08:53 		Thor DM-18A Thor 138 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure Maiden flight of Thor DM-18A. Flight control failure. RSO T+45 seconds.
1958-11-08
08:42:13 		Thor DM-18 Able-I Thor 129 CCAFS LC-17A Pioneer 2 Lunar orbiter High Altitude Failure Third stage failed to ignite
1958-11-26
09:09 		Thor DM-18A Thor 140 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Partial failure Loss of guidance system power caused the missile to overshoot its target point by 22 miles.
1958-12-06
00:41 		Thor DM-18A Thor 145 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Partial failure LOX tank pressurization failure led to loss of thrust. Missile impacted 20 miles short of the target point.
1958-12-16
23:44:45 		Thor DM-18A Thor 151 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Missile test Suborbital Success First Thor launch from Vandenberg AFB
1958-12-17
04:00 		Thor DM-18A Thor 146 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1958-12-31
02:00 		Thor DM-18A Thor 138 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Failure Flight control failure. RSO T+40 seconds.
1959-01-23 Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 128 CCAFS LC-17A RVX test Suborbital Failure Thor portion of flight successful. Staging failed due to an electrical malfunction. Vehicle fell into the Atlantic Ocean.
1959-01-30
23:53 		Thor DM-18A Thor 154 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-02-28
07:58 		Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 131 CCAFS LC-17A RVX test Suborbital Success
1959-02-28
21:49:16 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 163
Agena 1022 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 1 Reconnaissance LEO Failure Maiden flight of Thor-Agena. Agena telemetry lost T+730 seconds. Fate of the payload unknown, but generally presumed to have impacted somewhere in Antarctica.
1959-03-21
06:19 		Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 132 CCAFS LC-17A RVX test Suborbital Success
1959-03-22
00:58 		Thor DM-18A Thor 158 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-03-27
04:02 		Thor DM-18A Thor 162 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-04-08
06:35 		Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 133 CCAFS LC-17A RVX test Suborbital Success
1959-04-13
21:18:39 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 170
Agena 1018 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 2 Reconnaissance LEO Success
1959-04-16
20:46 		Thor DM-18A Thor 161 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-04-23
05:30 		Thor DM-18A Thor 176 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-04-25
05:00 		Thor DM-18A Thor 164 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-05-12
17:35 		Thor DM-18A Thor 187 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-05-21
06:40 		Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 135 CCAFS LC-17A RVX test Suborbital Success
1959-05-23
02:42 		Thor DM-18A Thor 184 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-06-03
20:09:20 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 174
Agena 1020 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 3 Reconnaissance LEO Failure Agena attitude control malfunction pointed the stage in the wrong direction, sending it into the Pacific Ocean rather than orbit.
1959-06-11
06:44 		Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 137 CCAFS LC-17A RVX test Suborbital Success
1959-06-16
21:45 		Thor DM-18A Thor 191 VAFB LC-75-2-7 Missile test Suborbital Failure Pitch and roll program failed to initiate. RSO T+50 seconds.
1959-06-25
22:47:45 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 179
Agena 1023 		VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 4 Reconnaissance LEO Failure Agena developed insufficient thrust to attain orbital velocity.
1959-06-26 Thor DM-18A Thor 198 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-06-30
02:37 		Thor DM-18A Thor 194 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-07-21
07:33 		Thor DM-18A Thor 203 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Failure Pitch and roll program failed to initiate. RSO T+40 seconds.
1959-07-24
12:47 		Thor DM-18A Thor 202 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-08-03
21:41 		Thor DM-18A Thor 175 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-08-06
02:48 		Thor DM-18A Thor 208 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-08-07
14:24:20 		Thor DM-18 Able-III Thor 134 CCAFS LC-17A Explorer 6 Radiation HEO Success
1959-08-13
19:00:08 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 192
Agena 1029 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 5 Reconnaissance LEO Success
1959-08-14
09:00 		Thor DM-18A Thor 204 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-08-14
19:36:04 		Thor DM-18A Thor 190 VAFB LC-75-2-6 Missile test Suborbital Partial failure Premature propellant depletion. Planned range not achieved.
1959-08-19
19:24:44 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 200
Agena 1028 		VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 6 Reconnaissance LEO Success
1959-08-27
12:30 		Thor DM-18A Thor 216 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-09-12 Thor DM-18A Thor 217 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-09-17
14:34 		Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 136 CCAFS LC-17A Transit 1A Navigation LEO Failure Third stage malfunctioned
1959-09-17
21:09 		Thor DM-18A Thor 228 VAFB LC-75-1-2 Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-09-22
18:00 		Thor DM-18A Thor 222 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-10-06
16:41 		Thor DM-18A Thor 235 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-10-06
18:26 		Thor DM-18A Thor 239 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-10-14
04:15 		Thor DM-18A Thor 221 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-10-21
22:57 		Thor DM-18A Thor 220 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-10-29
02:12 		Thor DM-18A Thor 230 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-11-03 Thor DM-18A Thor 238 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-11-07
20:28:41 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 206
Agena 1051 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 7 Reconnaissance LEO Success
1959-11-12
19:24 		Thor DM-18A Thor 181 VAFB LC-75-1-2 Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-11-19 Thor DM-18A Thor 244 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-11-20
19:25:24 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 212
Agena 1050 		VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 8 Reconnaissance LEO Failure Orbit too eccentric for use of return capsule
1959-12-01
17:00 		Thor DM-18A Thor 254 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1959-12-02
05:29 		Thor DM-18A Thor 265 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Missile test Suborbital Failure
1959-12-15
02:14 		Thor DM-18A Thor 185 VAFB LC-75-1-2 Missile test Suborbital Failure Flight control failure. Missile broke up T+60 seconds.
1959-12-17 Thor DM-18A Thor 255 CCAFS LC-17B Missile test Suborbital Success
1960-01-14
16:35 		Thor DM-18C Thor 256 CCAFS LC 18B Missile test Suborbital Success Maiden flight of Thor DM-18C
1960-01-21
20:10 		Thor DM-18A Thor 215 VAFB LC-75-1-2 Missile test Suborbital Success
1960-02-04
18:51:45 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 218
Agena 1052 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 9 Reconnaissance LEO Failure Premature Thor cutoff. Agena could not attain orbital velocity.
1960-02-09
17:11 		Thor DM-18C Thor 259 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1960-02-19
20:15:14 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 223
Agena 1054 		VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 10 Reconnaissance LEO Failure Thor flight control malfunction. RSO T+52 seconds.
1960-02-29 Thor DM-18C Thor 263 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Success
1960-03-02
20:06 		Thor DM-18A Thor 272 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital Success
1960-03-11
13:00 		Thor DM-18 Able-IV Thor 219 CCAFS LC 17A Pioneer 5 Scientific Heliocentric Success Only flight of Thor-Able IV
1960-04-01
11:40:09 		Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 148 CCAFS LC-17A TIROS-1 Weather SSO Success Final flight of Thor-Able
1960-04-15
20:30:37 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 234
Agena 1055 		VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 11 Reconnaissance LEO Success
1960-06-22
23:26 		Thor DM-18A Thor 233 VAFB LC-75-2-7 Missile test Suborbital Success
1960-06-29
22:00:44 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 160
Agena 1053 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 12 Reconnaissance LEO Failure Agena attitude control malfunction.
1960-08-10
20:37:54 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 231
Agena 1057 		VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 13 Reconnaissance LEO Success First successful recovery of a manmade object from orbit.
1960-08-18
19:57:08 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 237
Agena 1056 		VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 14 Reconnaissance LEO Success
1960-09-13
22:14 		Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 246
Agena 1058 		VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 15 Reconnaissance LEO Success
1960-10-11
21:53 		Thor DM-18A Thor 186 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital Success
1960-12-13
20:08 		Thor DM-18A Thor 267 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital Success
1961-03-30
05:13:43 		Thor DM-18A Thor 243 VAFB LC-75-2-7 Missile test Suborbital Success
1961-06-20
23:54 		Thor DM-18A Thor 276 VAFB LC-75-2-7 Missile test Suborbital Success
1961-09-06
22:30 		Thor DM-18A Thor 165 VAFB LE-7 Missile test Suborbital Success
1961-12-06
01:30 		Thor DM-18A Thor 214 VAFB LE-8 Missile test Suborbital Success
1962-03-19
23:28 		Thor DM-18A Thor 229 VAFB LE-7 Missile test Suborbital Success
1962-06-19
00:30 		Thor DM-18A Thor 269 VAFB LE-8 Missile test Suborbital Success

References

  1. ^ "Thor DM-18". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved 2021-08-20.
  2. ^ "Thor-DM18 (XSM-75 / XPGM-17A) IRBM". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2021-08-20.
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