Thor DM-21 Agena-D or just Thor-Agena was an orbital launch vehicle. The launch vehicles used the Douglas-built Thor first stage and the Lockheed-built Agena second stages. They are thus cousins of the more-famous Thor-Deltans, which founded the Delta launch vehicle family. The first attempted launch of a Thor DM-21 Agena-D was on 28 June 1962. The first successful launch was also on 28 June 1962, launching FTV 1151. It was the first two-stage rocket to place a satellite into orbit.
Launch statistics Launch outcome Orbit
Launch history +The data in this table comes from Date/Time(UTC) Rocket S/N Launch site Payload Function Orbit Outcome Remarks 1962-06-2801:09 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 340Agena 1151 VAFB LC-75-1-1 FTV 1151 Reconnaissance LEO 1962-08-0200:17 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 344Agena 1152 VAFB LC-75-1-1 FTV 1152 Reconnaissance LEO 1962-08-2901:00 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 349Agena 1153 VAFB LC-75-1-2 FTV 1153 Reconnaissance LEO 1962-09-2923:34:50 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 351Agena 1154 VAFB LC-75-1-2 FTV 1154 Reconnaissance LEO 1962-10-2616:14 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 353Agena 1401 VAFB LC-75-1-2 STARAD Radiation MEO 1962-12-0421:30 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 361Agena 1155 VAFB LC-75-1-2 FTV 1155 Reconnaissance LEO 1962-12-1304:07 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 365 VAFB LC-75-1-1 NRL PL120Injun 3NRL PL121SURCAL 2Calsphere 1 ELINTIonosphericCalibration MEO 1962-12-1421:26:07 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 368Agena 1156 VAFB LC-75-3-5 FTV 1156 Reconnaissance LEO 1963-01-0721:09:49 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 369Agena 1157 VAFB LC-75-1-1 OPS 0048 Reconnaissance LEO 1963-04-0123:01 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 376Agena 1160 VAFB LC-75-3-5 OPS 0720 Reconnaissance LEO 1963-04-2620:13 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 372Agena 1411 VAFB LC-75-1-1 OPS 1008 Reconnaissance LEO Attitude sensor alignment error results in no Agena orbit. 1963-06-1514:29 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 378Agena 2353 VAFB LC-75-1-1 FTV 1292Solrad 6ALOFTI 2BSurcal 3Radose 112 ELINTRadiationIonosphericCalibration LEO 1963-07-1900:00:10 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 388Agena 1412 VAFB LC-75-1-1 OPS 1266 Reconnaissance LEO 1965-03-0918:29 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 419Agena 2701 VAFB SLC-2W SECOR 3 / Dodecapole 1 / Poppy 4 / Solrad 7B / GGSE 2 / GGSE 3 / Surcal 4 / Oscar 3 Geodesic research / Radar calibration / ELINT / ELINT / Technological test / Technological test / Technological test / Amateur radio satellite LEO 1965-09-0220:00 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 401Agena 1602 VAFB LC-75-3-5 MPRV Upper atmosphere and space experiments planned: MEO High winds caused the vehicle to drift off course. RSO T+43 seconds. Debris fell on a trailer park. 1967-05-3109:30 Thor DM-21 Agena-D Thor 443Agena 2704 VAFB SLC-2W Timation 1 / GGSE 4 / GGSE 5 / Poppy 5 / Calsphere 3 / Calsphere 4 / Surcal 152 / Surcal 153 / Surcal 150B Experimental navigation satellite / Technological research satellite / ELINT / Technological research satellites (x5) LEO Final flight of the original Thor-Agena series.
References