List of Thor-Agena launches

A Thor-Agena launch vehicle, ready to launch the Discoverer 37 (KH-3) spacecraft, on 13 January 1962

Thor DM-18 Agena or just Thor-Agena was a series of orbital launch vehicles. The launch vehicles used the Douglas-built Thor first stage and the Lockheed-built Agena second stages. They are thus cousins of the more-famous Thor-Delta, which founded the Delta launch vehicle family. The first attempted launch of a Thor-Agena was on 28 February 1959. The first successful launch was on 13 April 1959, launching Discoverer 2 . It was the first two-stage rocket to place a satellite into orbit. ^{[1] [2]}

Launch statistics

Launch outcome 4 8 12 16 20 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965   Success   Failure   Partial failure	Launchpad 4 8 12 16 20 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965   VAFB LC-75-3-4   VAFB LC-75-3-5   VAFB LC-75-1-1
Orbit 4 8 12 16 20 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965   LEO   MEO	Function 5 10 15 20 25 30 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965   Reconnaissance   Technology   Amateur radio   ELINT   Ionospheric

Launch history

The data in this table comes from ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}

Date/Time (UTC)	Rocket	S/N	Launch site	Payload	Function	Orbit	Outcome	Remarks
28 February 1959 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 A. Agena telemetry lost at T+730 seconds. Fate of the payload unknown, but generally presumed to have impacted somewhere in Antarctica.
13 April 1959 21:18:39	Thor DM-18 Agena-A	Thor 170 Agena 1018	VAFB LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 2	Reconnaissance	LEO	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.
1959-06-25 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.
1959-08-13 19:00:08	Thor DM-18 Agena-A	Thor 192 Agena 1029	VAFB LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 5	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1959-08-19 19:24:44	Thor DM-18 Agena-A	Thor 200 Agena 1028	VAFB LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 6	Reconnaissance	LEO	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
1959-11-20 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
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.
1960-02-19 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.
1960-04-15 20:30:37	Thor DM-18 Agena-A	Thor 234 Agena 1055	VAFB LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 11	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1960-06-29 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
1960-10-26 20:26	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 253 Agena 1061	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 16	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Maiden flight of Thor-Agena B. Agena staging failed. Vehicle fell into the Pacific Ocean.
1960-11-12 20:43	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 297 Agena 1062	VAFB, LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 17	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1960-12-07 20:20:58	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 296 Agena 1103	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 18	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1960-12-20 20:32	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 258 Agena 1101	VAFB, LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 19	Technology	LEO	Success
1961-02-17 20:25	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 298	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 20	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-02-18 22:58	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 261 Agena 1102	VAFB, LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 21	Technology	LEO	Success
1961-03-30 20:34:43	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 300 Agena 1105	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 22	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Agena control failure.
1961-04-08 19:21	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 307 Agena 1106	VAFB, LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 23	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-06-08 21:16	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 302 Agena 1108	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 24	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Agena power failure
1961-06-16 23:02	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 303 Agena 1107	VAFB, LC-75-1-1	Discoverer 25	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-07-07 23:29:48	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 308 Agena 1109	VAFB, LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 26	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-07-21 22:35	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 322 Agena 1110	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 27	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Open circuit in guidance computer led to loss of control and vehicle breakup at T+60 seconds.
1961-08-04 00:01	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 309 Agena 1111	VAFB, LC-75-1-1	Discoverer 28	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Agena control system malfunctioned
1961-08-30 20:00	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 323 Agena 1112	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 29	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-09-12 19:59	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 310 Agena 1113	VAFB, LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 30	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-09-17 21:00	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 324 Agena 1114	VAFB, LC-75-1-1	Discoverer 31	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-10-13 19:22	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 328 Agena 1115	VAFB, LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 32	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success	100th Thor launch
1961-10-23 19:23	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 329 Agena 1116	VAFB LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 33	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Agena hydraulics failure
1961-11-05 20:00	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 330 Agena 1117	VAFB LC-75-1-1	Discoverer 34	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Incorrect guidance program left the satellite in a useless orbit.
1961-11-15 21:23	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 326 Agena 1118	VAFB LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 35	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1961-12-12 20:40	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 325 Agena 1119	VAFB LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 36 Oscar 1	Reconnaissance Amateur radio	LEO	Success
1962-01-13 21:41	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 327 Agena 1120	VAFB LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 37	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Agena restart burn failed.
1962-02-21 18:44	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 332 Agena 2301	VAFB LC-75-3-5	FTV 2301	ELINT	LEO	Partial failure	Upper stage failed to restart for circularization burn
1962-02-27 19:39	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 241 Agena 1123	VAFB LC-75-3-4	Discoverer 38	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-04-18 00:54	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 331 Agena 1124	VAFB LC-75-3-5	Discoverer 39	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-04-29 00:30:12	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 333 Agena 1125	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1125	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-05-15 19:36	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 334 Agena 1126	VAFB LC-75-3-5	FTV 1126	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-05-30 01:00:04	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 336 Agena 1128	VAFB LC-75-1-1	FTV 1128	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-06-02 00:31	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 335 Agena 1127	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1127 Oscar 2	Reconnaissance Amateur radio	LEO	Success
1962-06-18 20:20	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 343 Agena 2312	VAFB, LC-75-3-5	FTV 2312	ELINT	LEO	Success
1962-06-23 00:30	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 339 Agena 1129	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1129	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-06-28 01:09	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 340 Agena 1151	VAFB LC-75-1-1	FTV 1151	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-07-21 00:56	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 342 Agena 1130	VAFB LC-75-3-5	FTV 1130	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-07-28 00:30	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 347 Agena 1131	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1131	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-08-02 00:17	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 344 Agena 1152	VAFB LC-75-1-1	FTV 1152	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-08-29 01:00	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 349 Agena 1153	VAFB LC-75-1-2	FTV 1153	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-09-01 20:39	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 348 Agena 1132	VAFB LC-75-3-5	FTV 1132	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-09-17 23:46	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 350 Agena 1133	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1133 ERS-2	Reconnaissance Technology	LEO	Success
1962-09-29 06:05	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 341 TA-1	VAFB LC-75-1-1	Alouette 1 TAVE	Ionospheric research satellite Technology	LEO	Success
1962-09-29 23:34:50	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 351 Agena 1154	VAFB LC-75-1-2	FTV 1154	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-10-09 18:35	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 352 Agena 1134	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1134	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-10-26 16:14	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 353 Agena 1401	VAFB LC-75-1-2	STARAD	Radiation	MEO	Success
1962-11-05 22:04	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 356 Agena 1136	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1136	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-11-24 22:01	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 367 Agena 1135	VAFB LC-75-3-4	FTV 1135	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-12-04 21:30	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 361 Agena 1155	VAFB LC-75-1-2	FTV 1155	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1962-12-13 04:07	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 365	VAFB LC-75-1-1	NRL PL120 Injun 3 NRL PL121 SURCAL 2 Calsphere 1	ELINT Ionospheric Calibration	MEO	Success
1962-12-14 21:26:07	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 368 Agena 1156	VAFB LC-75-3-5	FTV 1156	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1963-01-07 21:09:49	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 369 Agena 1157	VAFB LC-75-1-1	OPS 0048	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1963-01-16 21:59	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 363 Agena 2313	VAFB LC-75-3-5	OPS 0180	ELINT	LEO	Success
1963-04-01 23:01	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 376 Agena 1160	VAFB LC-75-3-5	OPS 0720	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1963-04-26 20:13	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 372 Agena 1411	VAFB LC-75-1-1	OPS 1008	Reconnaissance	LEO	Failure	Attitude sensor alignment error results in no Agena orbit.
1963-06-15 14:29	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 378 Agena 2353	VAFB LC-75-1-1	FTV 1292 Solrad 6A LOFTI 2B Surcal 3 Radose 112	ELINT Radiation Ionospheric Calibration	LEO	Success
1963-07-19 00:00:10	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 388 Agena 1412	VAFB LC-75-1-1	OPS 1266	Reconnaissance	LEO	Success
1965-03-09 18:29	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 419 Agena 2701	VAFB SLC-2W	SECOR 3 / Dodecapole 1 / Poppy 4 / Solrad 7B / GGSE 2 / GGSE 3 / Surcal 4 / Oscar 3	Geodesic research / Radar calibration / ELINT / ELINT / Technological test / Technological test / Technological test / Amateur radio satellite	LEO	Success
1965-09-02 20:00	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 401 Agena 1602	VAFB LC-75-3-5	MPRV	Upper atmosphere and space experiments	planned: MEO	Failure	High winds caused the vehicle to drift off course. RSO T+43 seconds. Debris fell on a trailer park.
1965-11-29 04:48	Thor DM-21 Agena-B	Thor 453 Agena 6102	VAFB LC-75-1-1	Alouette 2 / Explorer 31 (DME)	Ionospheric research satellite / Ionospheric research satellite	MEO	Success
1967-05-31 09:30	Thor DM-21 Agena-D	Thor 443 Agena 2704	VAFB SLC-2W	Timation 1 / GGSE 4 / GGSE 5 / Poppy 5 / Calsphere 3 / Calsphere 4 / Surcal 152 / Surcal 153 / Surcal 150B	Experimental navigation satellite / Technological research satellite / ELINT / Technological research satellites (x5)	LEO	Success	Final flight of the original Thor-Agena series.

References

• Spaceflight portal

1. "Thor Agena A". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
2. "Thor Agena B". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
3. "Thor Agena". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
4. "Thor-DM18 Agena-A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
5. "Discoverer-14 1960-010A". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
6. TRW Space Log. TRW Systems Group. 4 August 1960. pp. 10–12 – via Google Books.
7. "Thor-DM21 Agena-B". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
8. "Thor-DM21 Agena-D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 20 August 2021.