List of Thor DM-21 Agena-B launches

Last updated

Thor DM-21 Agena-B or just Thor-Agena was a series of orbital launch vehicles. The rockets 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 DM-21 Agena-B was in January 1959. The first successful launch was on 28 February 1959, launching Discoverer 17 . [1]

Contents

Launch statistics

Launch outcome

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
  •   Success
  •   Failure
  •   Partial Failure

Launchpad

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
  •   VAFB LC-75-3-4
  •   VAFB LC-75-3-5
  •   VAFB LC-75-1-1

Orbit

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

Function

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Launch history

The data in this table comes from [2]
Date/Time
(UTC)
Rocket S/N Launch SitePayloadFunctionOrbitOutcomeRemarks
1960-10-26
20:26
Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 253
Agena 1061
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 16 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureMaiden flight of Thor-Agena B. Agena staging failed. Vehicle fell into the Pacific Ocean.
1960-11-12
20:43
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 297
Agena 1062
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 17 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1960-12-07
20:20:58
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 296
Agena 1103
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 18 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1960-12-20
20:32
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 258
Agena 1101
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 19 TechnologyLEOSuccess
1961-02-17
20:25
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 298VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 20 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-02-18
22:58
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 261
Agena 1102
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 21 TechnologyLEOSuccess
1961-03-30
20:34:43
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 300
Agena 1105
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 22 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureAgena control failure.
1961-04-08
19:21
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 307
Agena 1106
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 23 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-06-08
21:16
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 302
Agena 1108
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 24 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureAgena power failure
1961-06-16
23:02
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 303
Agena 1107
VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 25 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-07-07
23:29:48
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 308
Agena 1109
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 26 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-07-21
22:35
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 322
Agena 1110
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 27 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureOpen 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-BThor 309
Agena 1111
VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 28 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureAgena control system malfunctioned
1961-08-30
20:00
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 323
Agena 1112
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 29 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-09-12
19:59
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 310
Agena 1113
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 30 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-09-17
21:00
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 324
Agena 1114
VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 31 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-10-13
19:22
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 328
Agena 1115
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 32 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess100th Thor launch
1961-10-23
19:23
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 329
Agena 1116
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 33 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureAgena hydraulics failure
1961-11-05
20:00
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 330
Agena 1117
VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 34 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureIncorrect guidance program left the satellite in a useless orbit.
1961-11-15
21:23
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 326
Agena 1118
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 35 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1961-12-12
20:40
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 325
Agena 1119
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 36
Oscar 1
Reconnaissance
Amateur radio satellite
LEOSuccess
1962-01-13
21:41
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 327
Agena 1120
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 37 ReconnaissanceLEOFailureAgena restart burn failed.
1962-02-21
18:44
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 332
Agena 2301
VAFB LC-75-3-5 FTV 2301 ELINTLEOPartial failureUpper stage failed to restart for circularization burn
1962-02-27
19:39
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 241
Agena 1123
VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 38 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-04-18
00:54
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 331
Agena 1124
VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 39 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-04-29
00:30:12
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 333
Agena 1125
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1125 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-05-15
19:36
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 334
Agena 1126
VAFB LC-75-3-5 FTV 1126 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-05-30
01:00:04
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 336
Agena 1128
VAFB LC-75-1-1 FTV 1128 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-06-02
00:31
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 335
Agena 1127
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1127
Oscar 2
Reconnaissance
Amateur radio
LEOSuccess
1962-06-18
20:20
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 343
Agena 2312
VAFB LC-75-3-5 FTV 2312 ELINTLEOSuccess
1962-06-23
00:30
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 339
Agena 1129
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1129 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-07-21
00:56
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 342
Agena 1130
VAFB LC-75-3-5 FTV 1130 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-07-28
00:30
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 347
Agena 1131
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1131 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-09-01
20:39
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 348
Agena 1132
VAFB LC-75-3-5 FTV 1132 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-09-17
23:46
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 350
Agena 1133
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1133
ERS-2
Reconnaissance
Technology
LEOSuccess
1962-09-29
06:05
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 341
TA-1
VAFB LC-75-1-1 Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg Alouette 1
TAVE
Ionospheric
Technology
LEOSuccess
1962-10-09
18:35
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 352
Agena 1134
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1134 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-11-05
22:04
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 356
Agena 1136
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1136 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1962-11-24
22:01
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 367
Agena 1135
VAFB LC-75-3-4 FTV 1135 ReconnaissanceLEOSuccess
1963-01-16
21:59
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 363
Agena 2313
VAFB LC-75-3-5 OPS 0180 ELINTLEOSuccess
1965-11-29
04:48
Thor DM-21 Agena-BThor 453
Agena 6102
VAFB LC-75-1-1 Alouette 2 / Explorer 31 (DME)Ionospheric research satellite / Ionospheric research satelliteMEOSuccess

Related Research Articles

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Military rocket launch site in Florida, USA

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) is an installation of the United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45, located on Cape Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida.

PGM-17 Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM)

The PGM-17A Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was 65 feet (20 m) in height and 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter. It was later augmented in the U.S. IRBM arsenal by the Jupiter.

Delta (rocket family) Rocket family

Delta is an American versatile family of expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. Japan also launched license-built derivatives from 1975 to 1992. More than 300 Delta rockets have been launched with a 95% success rate. Only the Delta IV Heavy rocket remains in use as of November 2020. Delta rockets are currently manufactured and launched by the United Launch Alliance.

KH-5 Argon

KH-5 ARGON was a series of reconnaissance satellites produced by the United States from February 1961 to August 1964. The KH-5 operated similarly to the Corona series of satellites, as it ejected a canister of photographic film. At least 12 missions were attempted, but at least 7 resulted in failure. The satellite was manufactured by Lockheed. Launches used Thor-Agena rockets flying from Vandenberg Air Force Base, with the payload being integrated into the Agena.

Atlas-Agena

The Atlas-Agena was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was launched 109 times between 1960 and 1978. It was used to launch the first five Mariner uncrewed probes to the planets Venus and Mars, and the Ranger and Lunar Orbiter uncrewed probes to the Moon. The upper stage was also used as an uncrewed orbital target vehicle for the Gemini crewed spacecraft to practice rendezvous and docking. However, the launch vehicle family was originally developed for the Air Force and most of its launches were classified DoD payloads.

Thor-Agena Rocket developed in United States

Thor-Agena was a series of orbital launch vehicles. The rockets 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 rocket to place a satellite into orbit.

Thor (rocket family) American rocket family

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.

Thor-Ablestar American expendable launch system

The Thor-Ablestar, or Thor-Able-Star, also known as Thor-Epsilon was an early American expendable launch system consisting of a PGM-17 Thor missile, with an Ablestar upper stage. It was a member of the Thor family of rockets, and was derived from the Thor-Able.

SM-65D Atlas First operational version of the U.S. Atlas missile

The SM-65D Atlas, or Atlas D, was the first operational version of the U.S. Atlas missile. Atlas D was first used as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to deliver a nuclear weapon payload on a suborbital trajectory. It was later developed as a launch vehicle to carry a payload to low Earth orbit on its own, and later to geosynchronous orbit, to the Moon, Venus, or Mars with the Agena or Centaur upper stage.

The Thor DSV-2 was a series of sounding rockets, test vehicles, and anti-satellite weapons derived from the Thor Intermediate-range ballistic missile. It was also used as the first stage of several Thor-derived expendable launch systems

Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 12

Launch Complex 12 (LC-12) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida was a launch pad used by Atlas rockets and missiles between 1958 and 1967. It was the second-most southern of the pads known as Missile Row, between LC-11 to the south and LC-13 to the north. Along with Complexes 11, 13 and 14, 12 featured a more robust design than many contemporary pads, due to the greater power of the Atlas compared to other rockets of the time. It was larger, and featured a concrete launch pedestal that was 6 metres (20 ft) tall and a reinforced blockhouse. The rockets were delivered to the launch pad by means of a ramp on the southwest side of the launch pedestal.

Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 13 Former rocket launch site in Florida, USA

Launch Complex 13 (LC-13) was a launch complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the third-most southerly of the original launch complexes known as Missile Row, lying between LC-12 and LC-14. In 2015, the LC-13 site was leased by SpaceX and was renovated for use as Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2, the company's East Coast landing location for returning Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicle booster stages.

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.

6555th Aerospace Test Group Military unit

The 6555th Aerospace Test Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Eastern Space and Missile Center and stationed at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 October 1990.

References

  1. "Thor Agena B". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  2. "Thor-DM21 Agena-B". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2021-08-04.