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Thor-Ablestar Launch Vehicle

Thor-Ablestar combined a Thor first stage with Aerojet's enlarged, restartable Ablestar upper stage. Developed from Able technology, the two-stage vehicle supported early U.S. navigation, electronic-reconnaissance, communications, and geodesy satellites beginning in 1960. Its restart capability enabled deployment of multiple payloads and more precise orbital insertion than the earlier Thor-Able configurations.

Thor-Ablestar Launch Vehicle
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center · NASA asset; NASA’s 9141922 catalog identifies Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and describes the exact Thor/Able 3 launch carrying Explorer VI, with no third-party photographer or copyright holder listed. NASA’s current Images and Media Usage Guidelines generally permit factual or informational/editorial use with NASA attribution and without implying NASA endorsement. Commercial, promotional, merchandise, logo/insignia, or other protected-rights uses may require separate clearance; verify any third-party rights if later identified. · Source
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Identity

Aliases
Thor AblestarThor-Able-StarThor EpsilonThor-Epsilon
Family Name
Thor-Ablestar
Full Name
Thor-Ablestar Launch Vehicle
Status
retired
Type
rocket

Details

Description
Thor-Ablestar combined a Thor first stage with Aerojet's enlarged, restartable Ablestar upper stage. Developed from Able technology, the two-stage vehicle supported early U.S. navigation, electronic-reconnaissance, communications, and geodesy satellites beginning in 1960. Its restart capability enabled deployment of multiple payloads and more precise orbital insertion than the earlier Thor-Able configurations.
Dimensions
Diameter
…
Height
…
First Flight Year
1,960
Last Flight Year
1,965
Operator
Parent Vehicle Family
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Variant Notes
      Migrated from legacy reference "Rocketdyne LR79" without inventing a more precise installation.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
Rocket Specs
Liftoff Mass
…
Reusability
expendable
Stages Count
2

Links

Official Url
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19630006100/downloads/19630006100.pdf

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 13, 2026 at 13:14:17 UTC
Updated Time
July 29, 2026 at 15:42:02 UTC
Image
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