Thor-Able - Credit: US Air Force. 15,386 bytes. 154 x 492 pixels.

Thor with Able stage derived from Vanguard second stage.

Launches: 16. Failures: 5. Success Rate: 68.75% pct. First Launch Date: 24 April 1958. Last Launch Date: 01 April 1960. Liftoff Thrust: 68,040 kgf. Total Mass: 51,608 kg. Core Diameter: 2.4 m. Total Length: 30.0 m. Flyaway Unit Cost $: 8.93 million. in 1985 unit dollars.

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Thor DM-19 Gross Mass: 49,340 kg. Empty Mass: 3,125 kg. Thrust (vac): 77,367 kgf. Isp: 282 sec. Burn time: 165 sec. Isp(sl): 248 sec. Diameter: 2.4 m. Span: 2.4 m. Length: 18.4 m. Propellants: Lox/Kerosene No Engines: 1. LR-79-7

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Able Gross Mass: 2,268 kg. Empty Mass: 816 kg. Thrust (vac): 3,500 kgf. Isp: 270 sec. Burn time: 115 sec. Isp(sl): 240 sec. Diameter: 0.8 m. Span: 0.8 m. Length: 6.6 m. Propellants: Nitric acid/UDMH No Engines: 1. AJ10-101

• Thor Able first launch.

  USAF Thor-Able missile was launched from Cape Canaveral in a reentry test; flew short of its goal and the nose cone was not recovered. The nose cone carried a mouse as a biomedical experiment.

• ARTV 1 Spacecraft: ARTV.

  Suborbital. Mouse 'Mia' not recovered.

• ARTV 2 Spacecraft: ARTV.

  Suborbital. Mouse 'Mia II' reached 1600 km altitude, flew 9600 km range, but re-entry vehicle not recovered.

• ARTV 3 Spacecraft: ARTV.

  Suborbital. Mouse 'Wickie' not recovered; nose cone lost.

• Pioneer (1) Spacecraft: Pioneer 0-1-2. Payload: Pioneer / Able 1. Mass: 38 kg.

  First US lunar attempt. The first US Air Force lunar probe, using a Thor-Able booster. An explosion ripped it apart 77 seconds after launch.

• Pioneer 1 Spacecraft: Pioneer 0-1-2. Payload: Pioneer 1 / Able 2. Mass: 38 kg.

  Set distance record; failed to reach moon.

• Pioneer 2 Spacecraft: Pioneer 0-1-2. Payload: Pioneer 2 / Able 3. Mass: 39 kg.

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  Thor Able - Thor Able - COSPAR 1959-004 12,851 bytes. 119 x 383 pixels.

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  Pioneer 2 was launched from the Atlantic Missile Range, using a Thor-Able booster, the Air Force acting as executive agent to NASA. The 86.3-pound instrumented payload, intended as a lunar probe, failed to reach escape velocity.

• Thor 128/Able II

  Inert 3rd stage

• PGRTV 1 Spacecraft: PGRTV.

  First stage shut down at wrong time. Partial failure. Suborbital..

• Thor 131/Able II

  Inert 3rd stage

• PGRTV 2 Spacecraft: PGRTV.

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  Thor Able - Thor Able-Star - COSPAR 1960-013 19,181 bytes. 116 x 446 pixels.

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  Suborbital.

• PGRTV 3 Spacecraft: PGRTV.

  Suborbital.

• PGRTV 4 Spacecraft: PGRTV.

  Suborbital.

• PGRTV 5 Spacecraft: PGRTV.

  Suborbital.

• PGRTV 6 Spacecraft: PGRTV.

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  Thor Able - Thor Able - 58 19,296 bytes. 145 x 498 pixels.

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  Suborbital.

• Explorer 6 Spacecraft: S-2. Payload: S-2. Mass: 64 kg.

  First Earth photo; radiation data.

• Transit 1A Spacecraft: Transit. Payload: Transit 1A. Mass: 119 kg.

• Pioneer 5 Spacecraft: Pioneer 5. Payload: Pioneer P 2 / Able 6. Mass: 43 kg.

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  Thor Able Credit: © Mark Wade. 859 bytes. 49 x 296 pixels.

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  Solar research. Solar Orbit (Heliocentric). Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

• Tiros 1 Spacecraft: Tiros. Payload: Tiros A (A-1). Mass: 120 kg.

  TV and Infrared Observation Satellite; returned 22952 cloud cover photos. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

• 45 - Koelle, Heinz Hermann,, Handbook of Astronautical Engineering, McGraw-Hill,New York, 1961.