Rocket family
Thor
United States1958 to 1980Thor begins as an intermediate-range ballistic missile and becomes one of the most important early American launchers. With Able, Agena, Burner and Delta upper stages, it launches the first Pioneer probes, the Discoverer flights that hide the Corona spy satellites, TIROS weather satellites and early communications satellites such as Telstar and Syncom. Its Thor Delta line grows into the Delta family.
- Launches
- 330
- Success rate
- 86%
- 38 failures · 7 partial
- First flight
- 1958
- Thor Able I
- Last flight
- 1980
- Thor DSV-2U
- Rocket types
- 34
Launches per year
Show as table
| Year | Launches |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 3 |
| 1959 | 10 |
| 1960 | 21 |
| 1961 | 23 |
| 1962 | 38 |
| 1963 | 29 |
| 1964 | 32 |
| 1965 | 33 |
| 1966 | 24 |
| 1967 | 28 |
| 1968 | 21 |
| 1969 | 22 |
| 1970 | 16 |
| 1971 | 14 |
| 1972 | 6 |
| 1973 | 1 |
| 1974 | 2 |
| 1975 | 1 |
| 1976 | 2 |
| 1977 | 1 |
| 1978 | 1 |
| 1979 | 1 |
| 1980 | 1 |
Thor rockets
| Rocket | Flown | Launches | Success rate | Height | Payload to LEO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thor Able I | 1958 | 3 | 0% | 26.9 m | 120 kg |
| Thor Agena A | 1959 to 1960 | 15 | 60% | 28 m | 250 kg |
| Thor Able III | 1959 | 1 | 100% | 27.4 m | 100 kg |
| Thor Able II | 1959 to 1960 | 2 | 50% | 27.3 m | 50 kg |
| Thor Able IV | 1960 | 1 | 100% | 27.2 m | 100 kg |
| Thor DM-21 Ablestar | 1960 to 1965 | 19 | 68% | 29 m | 150 kg |
| Thor Delta | 1960 to 1962 | 12 | 92% | 27.5 m | 226 kg |
| Thor DM-21 Agena-B | 1960 to 1963 | 40 | 83% | 23.4 m | 150 kg |
| Thor Agena D | 1962 to 1963 | 13 | 85% | 31 m | 250 kg |
| Thor Delta A | 1962 | 2 | 100% | 27.5 m | 250 kg |
| Thor Delta B | 1962 to 1964 | 9 | 89% | 27.5 m | 370 kg |
| Thor SLV-2A Agena D | 1963 to 1968 | 61 | 93% | 27.2 m | |
| Thor SLV-2A Agena B | 1963 to 1966 | 2 | 100% | 27.2 m | |
| Thor SLV-2 Agena D | 1963 to 1967 | 8 | 75% | 27.2 m | 150 kg |
| Thor Delta C | 1963 to 1967 | 10 | 80% | 27.5 m | 81 kg |
| Thor SLV-2 Agena B | 1964 to 1965 | 3 | 100% | 27.2 m | 400 kg |
| Thor Delta D | 1964 to 1965 | 2 | 100% | 27.5 m | 450 kg |
| Thor MG-18 | 1965 | 2 | 100% | 23 m | 400 kg |
| Thor Burner 1 | 1965 to 1966 | 4 | 75% | 23 m | 250 kg |
| Thor Delta E | 1965 to 1967 | 6 | 100% | 28 m | 540 kg |
| Thor Delta C1 | 1966 to 1969 | 3 | 100% | 27.5 m | 81 kg |
| Thor Delta E1 | 1966 to 1971 | 17 | 94% | 28 m | 540 kg |
| Thorad SLV-2G Agena D | 1966 to 1971 | 30 | 97% | 32.9 m | 250 kg |
| Thor Burner 2 | 1966 to 1971 | 12 | 100% | 22.4 m | 250 kg |
| Thor Delta G | 1966 to 1967 | 2 | 100% | 28 m | 400 kg |
| Thor Delta J | 1968 | 1 | 100% | 28 m | 260 kg |
| Thor Delta N | 1968 to 1972 | 6 | 83% | 33 m | 400 kg |
| Thor Delta M | 1968 to 1971 | 12 | 83% | 32.4 m | 355 kg |
| Thorad SLV-2H Agena D | 1969 to 1972 | 13 | 92% | 32.9 m | 250 kg |
| Thor Delta L | 1969 to 1972 | 2 | 50% | 35 m | 300 kg |
| Thor Delta N6 | 1970 to 1971 | 3 | 67% | 33 m | 400 kg |
| Thor Delta M6 | 1971 | 1 | 100% | 32.4 m | 450 kg |
| Thor Burner 2A | 1971 to 1976 | 8 | 100% | 23 m | 250 kg |
| Thor DSV-2U | 1976 to 1980 | 5 | 80% | 23 m | 500 kg |