Thor-Able II Launch Vehicle
Thor-Able II was a Thor-and-Able configuration flown from January 1959 through April 1960. Six suborbital RVX-1 flights tested reentry guidance and ablative materials in 1959; modified vehicles also attempted the Transit 1A navigation-satellite mission and successfully launched TIROS 1 on 1 April 1960. Satellite missions added a solid upper stage to the Thor booster and liquid-propellant Able stage.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Thor Able IIStandard Thor-Able
- Family Name
- Thor-Able II
- Full Name
- Thor-Able II Launch Vehicle
- Status
- retired
- Type
- rocket
Details
- Description
- Thor-Able II was a Thor-and-Able configuration flown from January 1959 through April 1960. Six suborbital RVX-1 flights tested reentry guidance and ablative materials in 1959; modified vehicles also attempted the Transit 1A navigation-satellite mission and successfully launched TIROS 1 on 1 April 1960. Satellite missions added a solid upper stage to the Thor booster and liquid-propellant Able stage.
- Dimensions
- Diameter M
- 2.44
- First Flight Year
- 1,959
- Last Flight Year
- 1,960
- Operator
- Parent Vehicle Family
- Propulsion Configurations
- Entries
- Nested value
- Nested value
- Rocket Specs
- Reusability
- expendable
- Stages Count
- 2
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 13, 2026 at 12:56:05 UTC
- Updated Time
- July 29, 2026 at 15:41:53 UTC
- Image
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Other
- Search Name
- Thor-Able II Launch Vehicle Thor Able II Standard Thor-Able