Thor-Agena A Launch Vehicle
Thor-Agena A was the first Thor-Agena configuration, combining a modified Thor IRBM with the short-tank Agena A upper stage. It inaugurated the family with Discoverer 1 on 28 February 1959, the first U.S. launch into a polar orbit, and supported the earliest Discoverer reconnaissance-development flights before Agena B superseded it.
Identity
- Aliases
- Thor Agena AThor/Agena A
- Family Name
- Thor-Agena A
- Full Name
- Thor-Agena A Launch Vehicle
- Reusability
- expendable
- Slug
- thor-agena-a-launch-vehicle
- Status
- retired
- Type
- rocket
Details
- Description
- Thor-Agena A was the first Thor-Agena configuration, combining a modified Thor IRBM with the short-tank Agena A upper stage. It inaugurated the family with Discoverer 1 on 28 February 1959, the first U.S. launch into a polar orbit, and supported the earliest Discoverer reconnaissance-development flights before Agena B superseded it.
- Diameter M
- 2.4
- Engines
- Count
- 1
- Name
- Rocketdyne LR79
- Placement
- core
- Count
- 1
- Name
- Bell XLR81
- Placement
- upper
- First Flight Year
- 1,959
- Last Flight Year
- 1,960
- Operator Id
- vh73kr4r60fn37z8e1xzt1f8vd89n75j
- Parent Vehicle Family Id
- nd7qq3pymda8pncjem105cawph8aeyrs
- Stages Count
- 2
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- 7/13/2026, 1:21:12 PM
- Updated Time
- 7/13/2026, 1:21:12 PM