Encyclopedia Astronautica
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Thor Delta
Part of Thor Family
 Delta no. 4 Delta no. 4 - COSPAR 1961-Kappa |
American orbital launch vehicle. Commercial name for the military's Thor-Delta. The name of the Delta second stage eventually was applied to subsequent commercial follow-ons.
AKA: Thor-Delta. Status: Retired 1962. First Launch: 1960-05-13. Last Launch: 1962-09-18. Number: 12 . Payload: 226 kg (498 lb). Thrust: 667.20 kN (149,993 lbf). Gross mass: 54,050 kg (119,150 lb). Height: 31.00 m (101.00 ft). Diameter: 2.44 m (8.00 ft). Apogee: 100,000 km (60,000 mi).
3 stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Thor DM-18A + 1 x Delta + 1 x Altair
LEO Payload: 226 kg (498 lb). Payload: 45 kg (99 lb) to a GTO. Flyaway Unit Cost 1985$: 7.270 million.
Family: orbital launch vehicle.
Country: USA.
Spacecraft: TIROS,
Echo,
P-14,
EPE,
OSO,
Ariel,
Telstar.
Projects: Explorer.
Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral,
Cape Canaveral LC17B,
Cape Canaveral LC17A.
Stages: Altair 1,
Delta 104,
Thor DM-19.
Agency: Douglas.
More at: 8711.
1960 May 13 - .
09:16 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
FAILURE: Second stage attitude control failure.. Failed Stage: U. - Echo 1 - .
Payload: A-10. Mass: 56 kg (123 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Class: Communications.
Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Echo.
Spacecraft: Echo.
Decay Date: 1960-05-13 .
The first three-stage, NASA-developed Thor/Delta space booster was launched from Cape Canaveral, but the Echo passive communications satellite failed to achieve orbit due to a second stage malfunction. This booster was for NASA programs and used the basic Thor first stage with a modified Vanguard second stage as its upper stage configuration.
1960 August 12 - .
09:39 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Echo 1 - .
Payload: A-11. Mass: 76 kg (167 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Class: Technology.
Type: Communications technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Echo.
Spacecraft: Echo.
Decay Date: 1968-05-24 . USAF Sat Cat: 49 . COSPAR: 1960-Iota-1. Apogee: 2,157 km (1,340 mi). Perigee: 966 km (600 mi). Inclination: 47.3000 deg. Period: 117.30 min.
A Thor/Delta was launched from Cape Canaveral carrying NASA's Echo I, the first passive communications satellite to be placed into orbit. Balloon; passively relayed TV and voice transmissions. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).
1960 November 23 - .
11:13 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Tiros 2 - .
Payload: Tiros B (A-2). Mass: 130 kg (280 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Tiros.
Class: Earth.
Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS.
Spacecraft: Tiros.
Decay Date: 2014-05-18 . USAF Sat Cat: 63 . COSPAR: 1960-Pi-1. Apogee: 610 km (370 mi). Perigee: 547 km (339 mi). Inclination: 48.5000 deg. Period: 96.30 min. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C)..
1961 March 25 - .
15:17 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Explorer 10 - .
Payload: P-14. Mass: 35 kg (77 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Explorer.
Class: Astronomy.
Type: Solar satellite. Spacecraft Bus: P-14.
Spacecraft: P-14.
Decay Date: 1961-06-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 98 . COSPAR: 1961-Kappa-1. Apogee: 181,100 km (112,500 mi). Perigee: 221 km (137 mi). Inclination: 33.0000 deg. Period: 5,013.90 min. Magnetic field data. Decay date suspect Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B)..
1961 July 12 - .
10:25 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Tiros 3 - .
Payload: Tiros C (A-3). Mass: 129 kg (284 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Tiros.
Class: Earth.
Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS.
Spacecraft: Tiros.
USAF Sat Cat: 162 . COSPAR: 1961-Rho-1. Apogee: 790 km (490 mi). Perigee: 723 km (449 mi). Inclination: 47.9000 deg. Period: 100.00 min. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C)..
1961 August 16 - .
03:21 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Explorer 12 - .
Payload: EPE A (S-3). Mass: 38 kg (83 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Explorer.
Class: Astronomy.
Type: Solar satellite. Spacecraft Bus: EPE.
Spacecraft: EPE.
Decay Date: 1963-08-31 . USAF Sat Cat: 170 . COSPAR: 1961-Upsilon-1. Apogee: 76,620 km (47,600 mi). Perigee: 790 km (490 mi). Inclination: 33.4000 deg. Period: 1,587.30 min. Radiation and solar wind data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .
1962 February 8 - .
12:43 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Tiros 4 - .
Payload: Tiros D (A-9). Mass: 129 kg (284 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Tiros.
Class: Earth.
Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS.
Spacecraft: Tiros.
USAF Sat Cat: 226 . COSPAR: 1962-Beta-1. Apogee: 812 km (504 mi). Perigee: 693 km (430 mi). Inclination: 48.3000 deg. Period: 99.90 min. Returned 32593 cloud cover photos. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C)..
1962 March 7 - .
16:06 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- OSO 1 - .
Payload: OSO A (S-16). Mass: 208 kg (458 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Class: Astronomy.
Type: Solar satellite. Spacecraft Bus: OSO.
Spacecraft: OSO.
Decay Date: 1981-10-08 . USAF Sat Cat: 255 . COSPAR: 1962-Zeta-1. Apogee: 553 km (343 mi). Perigee: 522 km (324 mi). Inclination: 32.8000 deg. Period: 95.30 min. Orbiting Solar Observatory; solar flare observations. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .
1962 April 26 - .
18:00 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Ariel 1 - .
Payload: UK 1 (S-51). Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Nation: UK.
Agency: NASA.
Class: Earth.
Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Ariel.
Spacecraft: Ariel.
Decay Date: 1976-03-31 . USAF Sat Cat: 285 . COSPAR: 1962-Omicron-1. Apogee: 1,203 km (747 mi). Perigee: 398 km (247 mi). Inclination: 53.8000 deg. Period: 100.80 min. Ionospheric studies; returned X-ray, ionospheric, cosmic ray data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .
1962 June 19 - .
12:19 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Tiros 5 - .
Payload: Tiros E (A-50). Mass: 129 kg (284 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Tiros.
Class: Earth.
Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS.
Spacecraft: Tiros.
USAF Sat Cat: 309 . COSPAR: 1962-A-Alpha-1. Apogee: 880 km (540 mi). Perigee: 580 km (360 mi). Inclination: 58.1000 deg. Period: 99.40 min. Returned 58226 cloud cover images. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C)..
1962 July 10 - .
08:35 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Telstar 1 - .
Mass: 77 kg (169 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: ATT.
Class: Communications.
Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Telstar.
Spacecraft: Telstar.
USAF Sat Cat: 340 . COSPAR: 1962-A-Epsilon-1. Apogee: 5,643 km (3,506 mi). Perigee: 945 km (587 mi). Inclination: 44.8000 deg. Period: 157.80 min.
A NASA Thor/Delta boosted Telstar, the first commercially developed international communications satellite, into orbit. First commercial comsat; active repeater. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).
1962 September 18 - .
08:53 GMT - .
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral.
Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A.
LV Family: Thor.
Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta.
- Tiros 6 - .
Payload: Tiros F2 (A-51). Mass: 127 kg (279 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Tiros.
Class: Earth.
Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS.
Spacecraft: Tiros.
USAF Sat Cat: 397 . COSPAR: 1962-A-Psi-1. Apogee: 654 km (406 mi). Perigee: 631 km (392 mi). Inclination: 58.3000 deg. Period: 97.60 min. Returned 66674 cloud cover images. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C)..
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