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Launch FailureUnited States Air Force
Thor DM-21 Ablestar: Transit 3A
Transit 3A was a US Navy navigation satellite that was destroyed by range safety when the launch vehicle shut down too early.
Wednesday, 30 November 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#33
Agency Launches This Year#24
Launches From This Pad132
Launches From This Site1,132
Status Note
Either the launch vehicle did not reach orbit, or the payload(s) failed to separate.
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.