Thor-Able IV Launch Vehicle
Thor-Able IV was the deep-space configuration that successfully launched Pioneer 5 into heliocentric orbit on 11 March 1960. The mission demonstrated long-range digital telemetry and produced the first map of the interplanetary magnetic field between Earth and Venus.
Identity
- Aliases
- Thor Able IV
- Family Name
- Thor-Able IV
- Full Name
- Thor-Able IV Launch Vehicle
- Reusability
- expendable
- Slug
- thor-able-iv-launch-vehicle
- Status
- retired
- Type
- rocket
Details
- Description
- Thor-Able IV was the deep-space configuration that successfully launched Pioneer 5 into heliocentric orbit on 11 March 1960. The mission demonstrated long-range digital telemetry and produced the first map of the interplanetary magnetic field between Earth and Venus.
- 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
- 1,960
- Last Flight Year
- 1,960
- Operator Id
- vh76vnx3yy1vy23j7zc3wk80wx7nhx5f
- Parent Vehicle Family Id
- nd7ngphv8e47jz05bdw73xvp2n8aet9v
- Stages Count
- 3
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- 7/13/2026, 12:56:15 PM
- Updated Time
- 7/13/2026, 12:56:15 PM