Thor-Burner

infobox rocket


caption = Thor-Burner rocket
imsize = 100px
name = Thor-Burner
function = Expendable launch system
manufacturer = Douglas
country-origin = United States
height= 23m
alt-height= 75 ft
diameter = 2.44m
alt-diameter = 8 ft
mass = 50,000kg
alt-mass= 110,000 lb
stages=2-3
status = Retired
sites = Vandenberg AFB, LC-4300, LE-6, SLC-10W
launches = 24
success = 22
fail = 2
first=20 May 1965
last=19 February 1976

The Thor-Burner was an American expendable launch system, a member of the Thor family. It consisted of a Thor missile, with one or two Burner upper stages. It was used between 1965 and 1976, to orbit a number of satellites, most commonly DMSP weather satellites. Twenty-four were launched, of which two failed. Each launch cost 11.890 million 1985 US Dollars. It weighed 51,810 kg and was 24 metres tall.

Burner 1 and Altair

The Burner 1 stage was an Altair rocket stage as used for the third stage of some Vanguard launch vehicles, but equipped by Boeing with 3-axis control. [cite web |url=http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/online/lanc_thor_solid.html |title=Thor with a solid fuel top stage |publisher=The Satellite Encyclopedia]

This combination was used for six vehicles. The first was launched 1965-01-18 and the sixth 1966-03-30. These were early launches of classified Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites. One of these launches failed.cite web |url=http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app3/b-3.html |title=Douglas SLV-2 Thor / Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) SB-3 Delta |publisher=Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles]

Burner 2

The Burner 2 used with the Thor-Burner was the first solid-fuel upper-stage vehicle used for general space applications that had full control and guidance capability. The first Burner II flight was on 1966-09-15. [cite web |url=http://www.boeing.com/history/narrative/n058boe.html |title=History - Jets and Moon Rockets: 1957-1970 - The Boeing Company ... Booster Rockets |publisher=Boeing]

References