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Launch SuccessfulUnited States Air Force
Thor DM-21 Ablestar: Transit 2A
The Transit system was the first satellite navigation system to be used operationally. The system was primarily used by the U.S. Navy to provide accurate location information to its Polaris ballistic missile submarines, and it was also used as a navigation system by the Navy's surface ships, as well as for hydrographic survey and geodetic surveying.
Wednesday, 22 June 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 TypeNavigation
Target OrbitPolar Orbit
Launch PadSpace Launch Complex 17B
Location🇺🇸 Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA USA
Orbital Launches This Year#14
Agency Launches This Year#10
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.