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History
The Thor-able
consisted of the basic Thor missile and the Able two-stage vehicle which
came from the Vanguard launch
vehicle.
The Thor-Able combination was developed for testing the heat shield
for the Atlas missile. I 1958 it was decided to use Thor-Able to launch a
moon probe. The first attempt failed, but in October 11, 1958 Thor no. 130
launched the Pioneer Moon Probe. The launch was only a partial success
because the probe failed to reach the moon. Later the Thor- Able was used
for launching satellites like the Tiros weather satellite and the explorer
VI satellite.
Thor in various combinations with other upper stages
became one of the most successful launchers – especially the Delta
version has been in use for decades.
Sources on Thor-Able:
www.geocities.com/thor_irbm/
Space
Launch Vehicles - all of the world
The
forgotten mission of Pioneer 5 By Joel Powelll
Explorer
VI Paddle-Wheel Satellite (Video)
www.all-science-fair-projects.com
www.designation-systems.net
Modellers'
Guide To Thor-Able Star and Delta
thor_2.htm
Books and
articles:
The Rocket - The History and Development of Rocket and Missile
Technology by David Baker.
Rockets
of the world by Peter Alway,
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