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Launch SuccessfulUnited States Air Force
Thor DM-21 Ablestar: Transit-5BN 2
Transit navigation satellite equipped with nuclear power.
Thursday, 5 December 1963
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 2E
Location🇺🇸 Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA USA
Orbital Launches This Year#63
Agency Launches This Year#46
Launches From This Pad47
Launches From This Site923
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 2E · 34.7516°N 120.6192°W
Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.