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Launch SuccessfulUnited States Air Force
Thor DM-21 Ablestar: Courier 1B
An active repeater communications satellite. The vehicle succesfully launched and successfully operated for a few weeks proving the experimental system.
Tuesday, 4 October 1960
Mission Data
🇺🇸United States Air ForceEst. 1947
Launch VehicleThor DM-21 Ablestar
Vehicle FamilyThor
Vehicle Record13 of 19 launches (68.4%)
Provider TypeGovernment
Agency Record972 successes / 106 failures (90%)
Success Streak68 consecutive
Mission TypeCommunications
Target OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Launch PadSpace Launch Complex 17B
Location🇺🇸 Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA USA
Orbital Launches This Year#25
Agency Launches This Year#19
Launches From This Pad132
Launches From This Site1,132
Status Note
The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).
About Thor DM-21 Ablestar
The Thor-Ablestar, or Thor Able-Star, also known as Thor-Epsilon was an early American expendable launch system consisting of a PGM-17 Thor missile, with an Ablestar upper stage. It was a member of the Thor family of rockets, and was derived from the Thor-Able.
Launch Site
Space Launch Complex 17B · 28.4458°N 80.5657°W
Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.