Rocket DB

Thor family

Thor Delta C

RetiredUnited StatesMcDonnell DouglasSpec: Delta C

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

Flights flown10
Success rate80%8/10
Payload to LEO81kg
Maiden flight1963-11-27
Peak year19655 flights

Thor Delta C is built by McDonnell Douglas of the United States. It first flew on 27 November 1963 and last flew on 8 March 1967.

Flight record

10 records
80% success rate8 of 10 flown · 2 failed
1963peak 1965 · 5 flights1967
First flight1963-11-27
Latest flight1967-03-08
Failures2
Consecutive successes2
Fastest turnaround12d 8h

Payload

Per mission profile
Low Earth orbit81kg

Vehicle

Delta C spec
Stages3
Length27.5m
Diameter2.44m
Launch mass52t
Liftoff thrust667kN
Maiden flight1963-11-27
ReusableNo

Pads used

2 pads
Space Launch Complex 17A5Space Launch Complex 17B5

Orbits delivered

3 orbits
Elliptical Orbit4Low Earth Orbit3Sun-Synchronous Orbit3

Launch history

10 launches
DateMissionPadOrbitOutcome
1967-03-08Thor Delta C | OSO 3Space Launch Complex 17ALow Earth OrbitSuccess
1966-02-03Thor Delta C | ESSA 1Space Launch Complex 17ASun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
1965-08-25Thor Delta C | OSO CSpace Launch Complex 17BLow Earth OrbitFailure
1965-07-02Thor Delta C | Tiros 10Space Launch Complex 17BSun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
1965-05-29Thor Delta C | Explorer 28Space Launch Complex 17BElliptical OrbitSuccess
1965-02-03Thor Delta C | OSO 2Space Launch Complex 17BLow Earth OrbitSuccess
1965-01-22Thor Delta C | Tiros 9Space Launch Complex 17ASun-Synchronous OrbitFailure
1964-12-21Thor Delta C | Explorer 26Space Launch Complex 17AElliptical OrbitSuccess
1964-10-04Thor Delta C | Explorer 21Space Launch Complex 17AElliptical OrbitSuccess
1963-11-27Thor Delta C | Explorer 18Space Launch Complex 17BElliptical OrbitSuccess

Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.

Further reading: Wikipedia