List of Thor and Delta launches (1960–1969)

Between 1960 and 1969, there were 314 Thor missiles launched, of which 272 were successful, giving an 86.6% success rate.

Launch statistics

Rocket configurations

Launch sites

Launch outcomes

1960 There were 29 Thor missiles launched in 1960. 22 of the 29 launches were successful, giving a 75.8% success rate. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1960-01-1416:35 Thor DM-18C Thor 256 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital Maiden flight of Thor DM-18C 1960-01-2120:10 Thor DM-18A Thor 215 VAFB LC-75-1-2 Missile test Suborbital 1960-02-0418:51:45 Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 218 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 9 Reconnaissance LEO Premature Thor cutoff. Agena could not attain orbital velocity. 1960-02-0917:11 Thor DM-18C Thor 259 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital 1960-02-1920:15:14 Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 223Agena 1054 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 10 Reconnaissance LEO Thor flight control malfunction. RSO T+52 seconds. 1960-02-29 Thor DM-18C Thor 263 CCAFS LC-18B Missile test Suborbital 1960-03-0220:06 Thor DM-18A Thor 272 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital 1960-03-1113:00 Thor DM-18 Able-IV Thor 219 CCAFS LC-17A Pioneer 5 Scientific Heliocentric Only flight of Thor-Able IV 1960-04-0111:40:09 Thor DM-18 Able-II Thor 148 CCAFS LC-17A TIROS-1 Weather LEO Final flight of Thor-Able 1960-04-1312:02:36 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 257Ablestar 002 CCAFS LC-17B Transit 1B Navigation LEO Maiden flight of Thor-Ablestar 1960-04-1520:30:37 Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 234Agena 1055 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 11 Reconnaissance LEO 1960-05-1309:16:05 Thor DM-19 Delta Thor 144Delta 1 CCAFS LC-17A Echo 1 Communication MEO Maiden flight of Thor-Delta, upper-stage attitude control system malfunctioned 1960-06-2205:54 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 281Ablestar 003 CCAFS LC-17B Transit 2AGRAB-1 (Solrad 1) NavigationELINT LEO 1960-06-2223:26 Thor DM-18A Thor 233 VAFB LC-75-2-7 Missile test Suborbital 1960-06-2922:00:44 Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 160Agena 1053 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 12 Reconnaissance LEO Agena attitude control malfunction. 1960-08-1020:37:54 Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 231Agena 1057 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 13 Reconnaissance LEO First successful recovery of a manmade object from orbit. 1960-08-1209:39:43 Thor DM-19 Delta Thor 270Delta 2 CCAFS LC-17A Echo 1A Communications MEO 1960-08-1819:57:08 Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 237Agena 1056 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 14 Reconnaissance LEO 1960-08-1819:58 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 262Ablestar 004 CCAFS LC-17B Courier 1A Communications LEO Premature first stage cutoff. RSO T+150 seconds. 1960-09-1322:14 Thor DM-18 Agena-A Thor 246Agena 1058 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 15 Reconnaissance LEO 1960-10-0417:50 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 293Ablestar 005 CCAFS LC-17B Courier 1B Communications LEO 1960-10-1121:53 Thor DM-18A Thor 186 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital 1960-10-2620:26 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 253Agena 1061 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 16 Reconnaissance LEO Maiden flight of Thor-Agena B. Agena staging failed. Vehicle fell into the Pacific Ocean. 1960-11-1220:43 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 297Agena 1062 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 17 Reconnaissance LEO 1960-11-2311:13:03 Thor DM-19 Delta Thor 245Delta 3 CCAFS LC-17A TIROS-2 Weather LEO 1960-11-3019:50 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 283Ablestar 006 CCAFS LC-17B Transit 3AGRAB-2 (Solrad-2) NavigationELINT LEO Premature Thor cutoff. RSO. Debris fell in Cuba. 1960-12-0720:20:58 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 296Agena 1103 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 18 Reconnaissance LEO 1960-12-1320:08 Thor DM-18A Thor 267 VAFB LC-75-2-8 Missile test Suborbital 1960-12-2020:32 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 258Agena 1101 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 19 Technology LEO

1961 There were 27 Thor missiles launched in 1961. 21 of the 27 launches were successful, giving a 77.7% success rate. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1961-02-1720:25 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 298 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 20 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-02-1822:58 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 261Agena 1102 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 21 Technology LEO 1961-02-2203:45 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 313Ablestar 007 CCAFS LC-17B Transit 3BLofti 1 NavigationTechnology LEO 1961-03-2515:17:04 Thor DM-19 Delta Thor 295Delta 4 CCAFS LC-17A Explorer 10 Magnetospheric HEO 1961-03-3005:13:43 Thor DM-18A Thor 243 VAFB LC-75-2-7 Missile test Suborbital 1961-03-3020:34:43 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 300Agena 1105 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 22 Reconnaissance LEO Agena control failure. 1961-04-0819:21 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 307Agena 1106 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 23 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-06-0821:16 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 302Agena 1108 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 24 Reconnaissance LEO Agena power failure 1961-06-1623:02 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 303Agena 1107 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 25 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-06-2023:54 Thor DM-18A Thor 276 VAFB LC-75-2-7 Missile test Suborbital 1961-06-2904:22 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 315Ablestar 008 CCAFS LC-17B Transit 4AInjun 1GRAB-3 (Solrad 3) NavigationIonosphericELINT LEO 1961-07-0723:29:48 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 308Agena 1109 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 26 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-07-1210:25:06 Thor DM-19 Delta Thor 286Delta 5 CCAFS LC-17A TIROS-3 Weather LEO 1961-07-2122:35 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 322Agena 1110 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 27 Reconnaissance LEO Open circuit in guidance computer led to loss of control and vehicle breakup at T+60 seconds. 1961-08-0400:01 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 309Agena 1111 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 28 Reconnaissance LEO Agena control system malfunctioned 1961-08-1603:21:05 Thor DM-19 Delta Thor 312Delta 6 CCAFS LC-17A Explorer 12 Magnetospheric HEO 1961-08-3020:00 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 323Agena 1112 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 29 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-09-0622:30 Thor DM-18A Thor 165 VAFB LE-7 Missile test Suborbital 1961-09-1219:59 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 310Agena 1113 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 30 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-09-1721:00 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 324Agena 1114 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 31 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-10-1319:22 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 328Agena 1115 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 32 Reconnaissance LEO 100th Thor launch 1961-10-2319:23 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 329Agena 1116 VAFB LC-75-3-5 Discoverer 33 Reconnaissance LEO Agena hydraulics failure 1961-11-0520:00 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 330Agena 1117 VAFB LC-75-1-1 Discoverer 34 Reconnaissance LEO Incorrect guidance program left the satellite in a useless orbit. 1961-11-1521:23 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 326Agena 1118 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 35 Reconnaissance LEO 1961-11-1522:26 Thor DM-21 Ablestar Thor 305Ablestar 009 CCAFS LC-17B Transit 4BTRAAC Navigation LEO Transit Research and Attitude Control 1961-12-0601:30 Thor DM-18A Thor 214 VAFB LE-8 Missile test Suborbital 1961-12-1220:40 Thor DM-21 Agena-B Thor 325Agena 1119 VAFB LC-75-3-4 Discoverer 36Oscar 1 ReconnaissanceAmateur radio satellite LEO

1962 There were 50 Thor missiles launched in 1962. 42 of the 50 launches were successful, giving an 84% success rate.