Thor Delta B

In-active

McDonnell Douglas (MDC)

Dec. 13, 1962

Description

American orbital launch vehicle family with Thor first stage and a delta second stage.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    31.0 m
  • Diameter
    2.44 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    2.44 m
  • Launch Mass
    51.0 T
  • Thrust
    667.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Thor Delta B
  • Family
  • Variant
    Delta B
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Thor Delta B
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $9590000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    370.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    68.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

McDonnell Douglas

Commercial
None
MDC

None

Thor Delta B | Beacon Explorer A

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
March 19, 1964, 11:13 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

The BE (Beacon Explorer) satellites provided Laser reflectors for geodetic measurements as well measured the electron density in the ionosphere.

Low Earth Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Relay 2

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Jan. 21, 1964, 9:14 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Relay 2, although principally a communications satellite, carried particle experiments designed to map the trapped radiation belt.

Elliptical Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Tiros 8

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Dec. 21, 1963, 9:30 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

NASA's TIROS (Television & Infra-Red Observation Satellite) program was the first experimental weathersatellite program.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Syncom 2

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
July 26, 1963, 2:33 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Syncom 2 was the first geosynchronous satellite. Although the period was 24 hours and the spacecraft remained at a nearly constant longitude, the orbit was inclined at 33 degrees so it was not truly geostationary but moved in an elongated figure eight pattern 33 degrees north and south of the equator.

Geosynchronous Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Tiros 7

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
June 19, 1963, 9:50 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

NASA's TIROS (Television & Infra-Red Observation Satellite) program was the first experimental weathersatellite program.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Telstar 2

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
May 7, 1963, 11:38 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Communications satellite

Medium Earth Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Explorer 17

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
April 3, 1963, 2 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Explorer 17 carried four pressure gauges for the measurement of total neutral particle density, two mass spectrometers for the measurement of certain neutral particle concentrations, and two electrostatic probes for ion concentration and electron temperature measurements.

Low Earth Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Syncom 1

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Feb. 14, 1963, 5:35 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Syncom 1 was designed to be the first test of a communications satellite in geosynchronous orbit.

Geosynchronous Orbit
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Thor Delta B | Relay 1

McDonnell Douglas | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Dec. 13, 1962, 11:30 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Relay 1 was principally a communications satellite. Included in its payload were radiation experiments designed to map the earth's radiation belts.

Elliptical Orbit
Explore Share

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