Rocket DB

Thor family

Thor Delta

RetiredUnited StatesMcDonnell DouglasSpec: Delta

American orbital launch vehicle. Commercial name for the military's Thor-Delta.

Flights flown9
Success rate88.9%8/9
Payload to LEO226kg
Cost per kg to LEO$32,168$7.3M per launch
Maiden flight1960-05-13
Peak year19626 flights

Thor Delta is built by McDonnell Douglas of the United States. It first flew on 13 May 1960 and last flew on 18 September 1962.

Flight record

9 records
88.9% success rate8 of 9 flown · 1 failed
1960peak 1962 · 6 flights1962
First flight1960-05-13
Latest flight1962-09-18
Failures1
Consecutive successes8
Fastest turnaround20d 20h

Payload

Per mission profile
Low Earth orbit226kg
Launch cost$7.3M
Cost per kg to LEO$32,168

Vehicle

Delta spec
Stages3
Length31m
Diameter2.44m
Launch mass54t
Liftoff thrust667kN
Maiden flight1960-05-13
ReusableNo

Pads used

2 pads
Space Launch Complex 17A8Space Launch Complex 17B1

Orbits delivered

4 orbits
Low Earth Orbit3Sun-Synchronous Orbit3Elliptical Orbit2Medium Earth Orbit1

Launch history

9 launches
DateMissionPadOrbitOutcome
1962-09-18Thor Delta | Tiros 6Space Launch Complex 17ASun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
1962-07-10Thor Delta | Telstar 1Space Launch Complex 17BMedium Earth OrbitSuccess
1962-06-19Thor Delta | Tiros 5Space Launch Complex 17ASun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
1962-04-26Thor Delta | Ariel 1Space Launch Complex 17ALow Earth OrbitSuccess
1962-03-07Thor Delta | OSO 1Space Launch Complex 17ALow Earth OrbitSuccess
1962-02-08Thor Delta | Tiros 4Space Launch Complex 17ASun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
1960-11-23Thor Delta | Tiros 2Space Launch Complex 17ALow Earth OrbitSuccess
1960-08-12Thor Delta | Echo 1Space Launch Complex 17AElliptical OrbitSuccess
1960-05-13Thor Delta | EchoSpace Launch Complex 17AElliptical OrbitFailure

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