Thor-Able I Lunar Launch Vehicle
Thor-Able I was the three-stage configuration used for the first three U.S. Air Force and NASA lunar-probe attempts in 1958. It paired a Thor first stage with an Able second stage and solid X-248 third stage. Pioneer 0 was the first deep-space launch attempt by any nation; Pioneer 1 and 2 returned useful data but none reached the Moon.
Identity
- Aliases
- Thor Able IAble-1 launch vehicle
- Family Name
- Thor-Able I
- Full Name
- Thor-Able I Lunar Launch Vehicle
- Reusability
- expendable
- Slug
- thor-able-i-lunar-launch-vehicle
- Status
- retired
- Type
- rocket
Details
- Description
- Thor-Able I was the three-stage configuration used for the first three U.S. Air Force and NASA lunar-probe attempts in 1958. It paired a Thor first stage with an Able second stage and solid X-248 third stage. Pioneer 0 was the first deep-space launch attempt by any nation; Pioneer 1 and 2 returned useful data but none reached the Moon.
- Diameter M
- 2.44
- Engines
- Count
- 1
- Name
- Rocketdyne LR79
- Placement
- core
- Count
- 1
- Name
- Aerojet AJ10-101
- Placement
- upper
- Count
- 1
- Name
- ABL X-248
- Placement
- upper
- First Flight Year
- 1,958
- Last Flight Year
- 1,958
- Operator Id
- vh73kr4r60fn37z8e1xzt1f8vd89n75j
- Parent Vehicle Family Id
- nd7ngphv8e47jz05bdw73xvp2n8aet9v
- Stages Count
- 3
Links
- Official Url
- https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19980230605
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- 7/13/2026, 12:53:19 PM
- Updated Time
- 7/13/2026, 12:53:19 PM