The Thor-Ablestar, or Thor-Able-Star, also known as Thor-Epsilon was an early American expendable launch system consisting of a PGM-17 Thor missile, with an Ablestar upper stage. It was a member of the Thor family of rockets, and was derived from the Thor-Able.
Two versions were built; the Thor-Ablestar 1 (Thor-DM21 Able-Star), with a DM-21 Thor and an AJ-10-104 second stage engine, and the Thor-Ablestar 2 (Thor-DSV2A Able-Star), which had a DSV-2A Thor first stage, and an uprated AJ-10-104D engine on the second stage. Thor-Ablestar 1 launches occurred from LC-17 at Cape Canaveral, and Thor-Ablestar 2 rockets were launched from LC-75-1 at Vandenberg Space Force Base (now designated SLC-2).
Nineteen Thor-Ablestar were launched between 1960 and 1965, of which four failed, and a fifth resulted in a partial failure, as only one of two payloads separated from the upper stage.
Launch history
Date/Time (UTC)S/NVersionLaunch sitePayloadFunctionOutcomePhoto1960-04-13 12:02:36Thor 257 Ablestar 002Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BTransit 1BNavigationSuccess, maiden flight of Thor-Ablestar1960-06-22 05:54Thor 281 Ablestar 003Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BTransit 2A, GRAB-1 (Solrad 1)Navigation, ELINTSuccess1960-08-18 19:58Thor 262 Ablestar 004Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BCourier 1ACommunicationsFailure (Premature first stage cutoff. RSO T+150 seconds.)1960-10-04 17:50Thor 293 Ablestar 005Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BCourier 1BCommunicationsSuccess1960-11-30 19:50Thor 283 Ablestar 006Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BTransit 3A, GRAB-2 (Solrad-2)Navigation, ELINTFailure (Premature Thor cutoff. RSO. Debris fell in Cuba.)1961-02-22 03:45Thor 313 Ablestar 007Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BTransit 3B, LOFTI-1Navigation, TechnologySuccess1961-06-29 04:22Thor 315 Ablestar 008Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BTransit 4A, Injun 1, GRAB-3 (Solrad 3)Navigation, Ionospheric, ELINTSuccess1961-11-15 22:26Thor 305 Ablestar 009Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BTransit 4B, TRAACNavigationSuccess, Transit Research and Attitude Control1962-01-24 09:30Thor 311 Ablestar 010Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BLOFTI-2, SECOR, GRAB-4 (Solrad 4), Injun 2, SURCAL 1Technology, Geodesy, ELINT, Ionospheric, CalibrationFailure (second stage insufficient thrust)1962-05-10 12:06Thor 314 Ablestar 011Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17BANNA 1AGeodesyFailure (second stage failed to ignite)1962-10-31 08:08Thor 319 Ablestar 012Thor-DM21 Able-StarCCAFS LC-17AANNA 1BGeodesySuccess, final flight of Thor DM-21 Ablestar1963-09-28Thor 375Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-1Transit 5BN-1 / Transit 5E-1NavigationSuccess1963-05-12Thor 385Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-1 Transit 5BN-2 / Transit 5E-3NavigationSuccess1964-04-21 18:50Thor 379 Ablestar 014Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-1Transit 5BN-3, Transit 5E-4NavigationFailure1964-10-06 17:04:21Thor 423 Ablestar 016Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-2OPS 5796 (Transit O-1), Dragsphere 1, Dragsphere 2NavigationSuccess1964-12-13 00:08:10Thor 427 Ablestar 017Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-2OPS 6582 (Transit O-2) (Transit 5B-5), Transit 5E-5NavigationSuccess1965-03-11 13:39Thor 440 Ablestar 018Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-1OPS 7087 (Transit O-3), SECOR 2Navigation, GeodesySuccess1965-06-24 22:35Thor 447 Ablestar 019Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-1OPS 8480 (Transit O-4)NavigationSuccess1965-08-13 22:11Thor 455 Ablestar 020Thor-DSV2A Able-Star VAFB LC-75-1-1OPS 8464 (Transit O-5), Dodecapole 2, Tempsat 1, Surcal 5, Long Rod 1, Calsphere 2Navigation, CalibrationSuccess, final flight of Thor-Ablestar
See also
List of Delta 4 launches List of Thor and Delta launches List of Thor and Delta launches (1960–1969) List of Delta IV Heavy launches List of Delta IV Medium launches Thor-Delta
References