List of Thor and Delta launches (1980–1989)

Between 1980 and 1989, there were 58 Thor missiles launched, of which 56 were successful, giving a 96.6% success rate.

Launch statistics

Rocket configurations

Launch sites

Launch outcomes

1980 There were 5 Thor missiles launched in 1980. 4 of the 5 launches were successful, giving an 80% success rate. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1980-02-1415:57 Delta 3910 151 (Thor 635) CCAFS LC-17A Solar Maximum Mission Solar observation satellite LEO 1980-02-2208:35 N-I N-6 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N ECS-B (Ayame-2) Experimental communication satellite GTO 1980-07-1502:22 Thor DSV-2U Thor 304 VAFB SLC-10W DMSP-5D-F5 Military weather satellite planned: LEO / SSO Final flight of the Long Tank Thor. Failure attributed to faulty connection between second and third stages, resulting in third stage not receiving electrical power. 1980-09-0922:27 Delta 3914 152 (Thor 637) CCAFS LC-17A GOES-D (GOES-4) Weather satellite GTO 1980-11-1522:49 Delta 3910 153 (Thor 636) CCAFS LC-17A SBS-1 Communications satellite GTO

1981 There were 7 Thor missiles launched in 1981. All 7 launches were successful. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1981-02-1108:30 N-II N-7 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N ETS-4 (Kiku-3) Technological demonstration satellite MEO 1981-05-2222:29 Delta 3914 154 (Thor 645) CCAFS LC-17A GOES-E (GOES-5) Weather Satellite GTO 1981-08-0309:56 Delta 3913 155 (Thor 642) VAFB, SLC-2W Explorer 62 / 63 (Dynamics Explorer-A/B) Magnetosphere research satellites MEO 1981-08-1020:03 N-II N-8 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N GMS-2 (Himawari-2) Weather satellite GTO 1981-09-2423:09 Delta 3910 156 (Thor 641) CCAFS LC-17A SBS-2 Communications satellite GTO 1981-10-0611:27 Delta 2310 157 (Thor 639) VAFB, SLC-2W Explorer 64 (Solar Mesosphere Explorer) / Oscar-9 Atmospheric research satellite / amateur radio satellite LEO 1981-11-2001:37 Delta 3910 158 (Thor 640) CCAFS LC-17A Satcom 3R Communications satellite GTO

1982 There were 8 Thor missiles launched in 1982. All 8 launches were successful. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1982-01-1601:54 Delta 3910 159 (Thor 643) CCAFS LC-17A Satcom 4 Communications satellite GTO 1982-02-2600:04 Delta 3910 160 (Thor 644) CCAFS LC-17A Westar 4 Communications satellite GTO 1982-04-1006:47 Delta 3910 161 (Thor 647) CCAFS LC-17A Insat 1A Communications satellite GTO 1982-06-0900:24 Delta 3910 162 (Thor 649) CCAFS LC-17A Westar 5 Communications satellite GTO 1982-07-1617:59 Delta 3920 163 (Thor 648) VAFB, SLC-2W Landsat 4 Earth observation satellite LEO 1982-08-2623:10 Delta 3920 164 (Thor 651) CCAFS LC-17B Anik D1 Communications satellite GTO 1982-09-0305:00 N-I N-9 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N ETS-3 (Kiku-4) Technological demonstration satellite MEO 1982-10-2801:27 Delta 3924 165 (Thor 652) CCAFS LC-17B Satcom 5 Communications satellite GTO

1983 There were 10 Thor missiles launched in 1983. All 10 launches were successful. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1983-01-2502:17 Delta 3910 166 (Thor 650) VAFB, SLC-2W IRAS / PIX-2 Infrared Space telescope / Technological research LEO 1983-02-0408:37 N-II N-10 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N CS-2A (Sakura-2A) Communication satellite GTO 1983-04-1122:39 Delta 3924 167 (Thor 653) CCAFS LC-17B Satcom 6 Communications satellite GTO 1983-04-2822:26 Delta 3914 168 CCAFS LC-17A GOES-F (GOES-6) Weather Satellite GTO 1983-05-2615:18 Delta 3914 169 VAFB, SLC-2W EXOSAT X-ray Space telescope HEO 1983-06-2823:08 Delta 3920 170 CCAFS LC-17B Galaxy 1 Communications satellite GTO 1983-07-2822:49 Delta 3920 171 CCAFS LC-17A Telstar-3A Communications satellite GTO 1983-08-0520:29 N-II N-11 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N CS-2B (Sakura-2B) Communication satellite GTO 1983-09-0822:52 Delta 3920 172 CCAFS LC-17B Satcom 7 Communications satellite GTO 1983-09-2222:16 Delta 3920 173 CCAFS LC-17A Galaxy 2 Communications satellite GTO

1984 There were 6 Thor missiles launched in 1984. All 6 launches were successful. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1984-01-2307:58 N-II N-12 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N BS-2A (Yuri-2A) Direct-Broadcasting satellite GTO 1984-03-0117:59 Delta 3920 174 VAFB, SLC-2W Landsat 5 / Oscar-11 Earth observation satellite / Amateur radio satellite LEO 1984-08-0220:30 N-II N-13 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N GMS-3 (Himawari-3) Weather satellite GTO 1984-08-1614:30 Delta 3924 175 CCAFS LC-17A Explorer 65 (Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers-1/2/3) Magnetosphere research satellites HEO 1984-09-2122:18 Delta 3920 176 CCAFS LC-17B Galaxy-3 Communications satellite GTO 1984-11-1400:34 Delta 3914 177 CCAFS LC-17A NATO-3D Military communications satellite GTO

1986 There were 4 Thor missiles launched in 1986. 3 of the 4 launches were successful, giving a 75% success rate. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1986-02-1207:55 N-II N-14 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N BS-2B (Yuri-2B) Direct-Broadcasting satellite GTO 1986-05-0322:18 Delta 3914 178 CCAFS LC-17A GOES-G Weather Satellite planned: GTO Electric failure in first stage caused the rocket to lose control and was destroyed 90 seconds into flight 1986-08-1220:45 H-I H-15 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N EGP (Ajisai) / Oscar 12 / MAEBS Geodesic research satellite / Amateur radio satellite / Technological demonstration MEO 1986-09-0515:08 Delta 3920 180 CCAFS LC-17B Vector Sum Experiment (USA-19) Experimental on-orbit ASAT test satellite LEO

1987 There were 4 Thor missiles launched in 1987. All 4 launches were successful. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1987-02-1901:23 N-II N-16 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N MOS-1 (Momo-1) Earth observation satellite LEO / SSO 1987-02-2623:05 Delta 3914 179 CCAFS LC-17A GOES-H (GOES-7) Weather Satellite GTO 1987-03-2022:22 Delta 3920 182 CCAFS LC-17B Palapa B2P Communications satellite GTO 1987-08-2709:20 H-I H-17 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N ETS-5 (Kiku-5) Experimental communication satellite GTO

1988 There were 3 Thor missiles launched in 1988. All 3 launches were successful. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1988-02-0822:07 Delta 3910 181 CCAFS LC-17B Thrusted Vector Experiment (USA-30) Experimental on-orbit ASAT test satellite LEO 1988-02-1910:05 H-I H-18 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N CS-3A (Sakura-3A) Communication satellite GTO 1988-09-1609:59 H-I H-19 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N CS-3B (Sakura-3B) Communication satellite GTO

1989 There were 9 Thor missiles launched in 1989. All 9 launches were successful. Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1989-02-1418:30 Delta II 6925 184 CCAFS LC-17A NAVSTAR II-1 GPS Block II navigation satellite MEO First Delta II launch 1989-03-2421:50 Delta 3920–8 183 CCAFS LC-17B Delta Star (USA-36) Experimental on-orbit ASAT test satellite LEO 1989-06-1022:30 Delta II 6925 185 CCAFS LC-17ANAVSTAR II-2 GPS Block II navigation satellite MEO 1989-08-1805:58 Delta II 6925 186 CCAFS LC-17A NAVSTAR II-3 GPS Block II navigation satellite MEO 1989-08-2722:59 Delta 4925-8 187 CCAFS LC-17B BSB-R1 (Marcopolo 1) Communications satellite GTO 1989-09-0518:11 H-I H-20 (F) Tanegashima SLC-N GMS-4 (Himawari-4) Weather satellite GTO 1989-10-2109:31 Delta II 6925 188 CCAFS LC-17A NAVSTAR II-4 GPS Block II navigation satellite MEO 1989-11-1814:34 Delta 5920-8 189 VAFB, SLC-2W COBE Cosmology observation satellite LEOCOBE orbit 1989-12-1118:10 Delta II 6925 190 CCAFS LC-17B NAVSTAR II-5 GPS Block II navigation satellite MEO

References