Thor-Able
Encyclopedia
The Thor-Able was an American
expendable launch system
and sounding rocket
used for a series of re-entry vehicle
tests and satellite
launches between 1958 and 1960. It was a two stage
rocket
, consisting of a Thor
IRBM
as a first stage, and a Vanguard-derived Able second stage. On some flights, an Altair
solid rocket motor was added as a third stage. It was a member of the Thor family, and an early predecessor of the Delta.
Sixteen Thor-Ables were launched, nine on sub-orbital
re-entry vehicle test flights, and seven on orbital
satellite launch attempts. Six launches resulted in failures, however three of those failures were the result of an Altair
upper stage added to the rocket to allow it to launch the spacecraft onto a trans-lunar
trajectory. All sixteen launches occurred from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Complex 17A.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
expendable launch system
Expendable launch system
An expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
and sounding rocket
Sounding rocket
A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into...
used for a series of re-entry vehicle
Atmospheric reentry
Atmospheric entry is the movement of human-made or natural objects as they enter the atmosphere of a celestial body from outer space—in the case of Earth from an altitude above the Kármán Line,...
tests and satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
launches between 1958 and 1960. It was a two stage
Two-stage-to-orbit
A two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle is a spacecraft in which two distinct stages provide propulsion consecutively in order to achieve orbital velocity...
rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
, consisting of a Thor
PGM-17 Thor
Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . 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 with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
IRBM
Intermediate-range ballistic missile
An intermediate-range ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000–5,500 km , between a medium-range ballistic missile and an intercontinental ballistic missile...
as a first stage, and a Vanguard-derived Able second stage. On some flights, an Altair
Altair (rocket stage)
The Altair was a solid-fuel rocket with a fiberglass casing, initially developed for use as the third stage of Vanguard rockets. It was manufactured by Allegany Ballistics Laboratory as the X-248. It was also sometimes called the Burner 1.-Uses:...
solid rocket motor was added as a third stage. It was a member of the Thor family, and an early predecessor of the Delta.
Sixteen Thor-Ables were launched, nine on sub-orbital
Sub-orbital spaceflight
A sub-orbital space flight is a spaceflight in which the spacecraft reaches space, but its trajectory intersects the atmosphere or surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched, so that it does not complete one orbital revolution....
re-entry vehicle test flights, and seven on orbital
Orbital spaceflight
An orbital spaceflight is a spaceflight in which a spacecraft is placed on a trajectory where it could remain in space for at least one orbit. To do this around the Earth, it must be on a free trajectory which has an altitude at perigee above...
satellite launch attempts. Six launches resulted in failures, however three of those failures were the result of an Altair
Altair (rocket stage)
The Altair was a solid-fuel rocket with a fiberglass casing, initially developed for use as the third stage of Vanguard rockets. It was manufactured by Allegany Ballistics Laboratory as the X-248. It was also sometimes called the Burner 1.-Uses:...
upper stage added to the rocket to allow it to launch the spacecraft onto a trans-lunar
Trans Lunar Injection
A Trans Lunar Injection is a propulsive maneuver used to set a spacecraft on a trajectory which will arrive at the Moon.Typical lunar transfer trajectories approximate Hohmann transfers, although low energy transfers have also been used in some cases, as with the Hiten probe...
trajectory. All sixteen launches occurred from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads...
Launch Complex 17A.