 The launch of a Thor-Ablestar 2 with a Transit satellite. | |
| Function | Orbital carrier rocket |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Douglas / Aerojet |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 29 metres (95 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.44 metres (8 ft 0 in) |
| Mass | 53,000 kilograms (117,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to 1100km LEO | |
| Mass | 150 kilograms (330 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Thor |
| Comparable | Delta |
| Launch history | |
| Launch sites | LC-17, Canaveral LC-75-1, Arguello |
| Total launches | 19 |
| Success(es) | 12 |
| Failure(s) | 5 |
| Partial failure(s) | 2 |
| First flight | 13 April 1960 |
| Last flight | 13 August 1965 |
| First stage – Thor | |
| Powered by | 1 MB-3-1 |
| Maximum thrust | 760.64 kilonewtons (171,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 285 sec |
| Burn time | 164 seconds |
| Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
| Second stage –Ablestar | |
| Powered by | 1 AJ10-104,AJ10-104D |
| Maximum thrust | 36.02 kilonewtons (8,100 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 280 sec |
| Burn time | 296 seconds |
| Propellant | HNO3/UDMH |
The Thor-Ablestar,or Thor-Able-Star,also known as Thor-Epsilon [1] 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.
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The improved Able-Star version was used as the upper stage of the Thor-Ablestar two stage launcher. The Able-Star second stage was an enlarged version of the Able rocket stage using AJ10-104 or AJ10-104D engines,which gave the Thor-Ablestar a greater payload capacity compared to the earlier Thor-Able. [2] It also incorporated restart capabilities,allowing a multiple-burn trajectory to be flown,further increasing payload,or allowing the rocket to reach different orbits. It was the first rocket to be developed with such a capability and development of the stage took a mere eight months. [3]
Two versions were built;the Thor-Ablestar 1,with a DM-21 Thor and an AJ-10-104 second stage engine,and the Thor-Ablestar 2,which had a DSV-2A Thor first stage,and an uprated AJ-10-104D engine on the second stage. [1] Thor-Ablestar 1 launches occurred from LC-17 at Cape Canaveral,and Thor-Ablestar 2 rockets were launched from LC-75-1 at Vandenberg Space Force Base (now designated SLC-2).
