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List of Thor-Agena launches

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A Thor-Agena launch vehicle, ready to launch the Discoverer 37 (KH-3) spacecraft, on 13 January 1962

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 statistics

Launch outcome

4
8
12
16
20
  •   Success
  •   Failure
  •   Partial failure

Launchpad

4
8
12
16
20
  •   VAFB LC-75-3-4
  •   VAFB LC-75-3-5
  •   VAFB LC-75-1-1

Orbit

4
8
12
16
20

Function

5
10
15
20
25
30

Launch history

The data in this table comes from [3][4][5][6][7][8]
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.

References

  1. ^ "Thor Agena A". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Thor Agena B". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Thor Agena". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Thor-DM18 Agena-A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Discoverer-14 1960-010A". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ TRW Space Log. TRW Systems Group. 4 August 1960. pp. 10–12 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Thor-DM21 Agena-B". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Thor-DM21 Agena-D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
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