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 outcome | Launchpad |
Orbit | Function
|
| 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. |
The RM-81 Agena was an American rocket upper stage and satellite bus which was developed by Lockheed Corporation initially for the canceled WS-117L reconnaissance satellite program. Following the split-up of WS-117L into SAMOS and Corona for image intelligence, and MIDAS for early warning, the Agena was later used as an upper stage, and an integrated component, for several programs, including Corona reconnaissance satellites and the Agena Target Vehicle used to demonstrate rendezvous and docking during Project Gemini. It was used as an upper stage on the Atlas, Thor, Thorad and Titan IIIB rockets, and considered for others including the Space Shuttle and Atlas V. A total of 365 Agena rockets were launched between February 28, 1959 and February 1987. Only 33 Agenas carried NASA payloads and the vast majority were for DoD programs.
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-Deltas, which founded the Delta rocket family. The first attempted launch of a Thor-Agena was in January 1959. The first successful launch was on 28 February 1959, launching Discoverer 1. It was the first two-stage launch vehicle to place a satellite into orbit.
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. The last launch of a direct derivative of the Thor missile occurred in 2018 as the first stage of the final Delta II.
Discoverer 14, also known as Corona 9009, was a spy satellite used in the Corona program managed by Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the Department of Defense and the United States Air Force. On 19 August 1960, usable photographic film images of the Soviet Union taken by the satellite were recovered by a C-119 recovery aircraft. This was the first successful recovery of film from an orbiting satellite and the first mid-air recovery of an object returning from Earth orbit.
Discoverer 13 was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 10 Aug 1960 at 20:37:54 GMT. The last of five test flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series, it was the first fully successful flight in the Discoverer series. On 11 Aug, after 17 orbits, the satellite's reentry capsule was recovered in the Pacific Ocean by the Haiti Victory. Its payload, an American flag, was presented to President Eisenhower four days later.
Discoverer 11, also known as Corona 9008, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 15 Apr 1960 at 20:30:37 GMT. The eighth of ten operational flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series, it successfully employed the first space-worthy camera film; however, Discoverer's film return capsule was lost during reentry on 16 Apr when the satellite's spin motors exploded.
Discoverer 24, also known as Corona 9018A, was an American area survey optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961 but failed to achieve orbit. It was a KH-5 Argon satellite, based on an Agena-B. It was the third KH-5 to be launched.
Discoverer 22, also known as Corona 9015, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was the fourth of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 28, also known as Corona 9021, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was the seventh of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 16, also known as Corona 9011, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure on 26 October 1960. It was the first of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 4, also known as Corona 9001, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 25 Jun 1959 at 22:47:45 GMT, the first of ten operational flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series, and the first satellite to be equipped for photo surveillance. The satellite was not successfully orbited. Its loss spurred improvements of its rocket booster to ensure the success of subsequent missions.
Discoverer 9, also known as Corona 9006, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 4 Feb 1960 at 18:51:45 GMT, the sixth of ten operational flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series, and the first of them to be equipped with a new, vacuum-proof, polyester-based film. The satellite was not successfully orbited.
Discoverer 10, also known as Corona 9007, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 19 Feb 1960 at 20:15:14 GMT, the seventh of ten operational flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series.
Discoverer 3 was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 3 June 1959 at 20:09:20 GMT, the third of three test flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series. The first Discoverer mission to carry live animal passengers, Discoverer 3 was lost when its carrying Agena-A booster crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
Discoverer 12 was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 29 Jun 1960 at 22:00:44 GMT. The fourth of five test flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series, it was lost when the second stage failed during launch.
Discoverer 15, also known as Corona 9010, was a spy satellite used in the Corona program managed by Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the Department of Defense and the United States Air Force. Launched on 13 September 1960, the satellite took reconnaissance photos of the Soviet Union. However, its recoverable film capsule was lost in the Pacific Ocean after reentry outside the recovery zone on 15 September.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .