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Launch FailureUnited States Air Force
Thor DM-21 Ablestar: Transit-5BN 3
Transit navigation satellite equipped with nuclear power.
Tuesday, 21 April 1964
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#25
Agency Launches This Year#14
Launches From This Pad47
Launches From This Site923
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 2E · 34.7516°N 120.6192°W
Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.