Engineering:List of Delta DM-19 launches

Short description: None

List of Delta DM-19 launches

Thor-Delta prior to the launch of Explorer 10
Function	Expendable launch system
Country of origin	United States
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17
Total launches	12
Successes	11
Failures	1
First flight	1960-05-13
Last flight	1962-09-18

About the Delta DM-19

The Thor-Delta, also known as Delta DM-19 or just Delta was an early American expendable launch system used for 12 orbital launches in the early 1960s. A derivative of the Thor-Able, it was a member of the Thor family of rockets, and the first member of the Delta family.

The first stage was a Thor missile in the DM-19 configuration. The second stage was the Delta, which had been derived from the earlier Able stage. An Altair solid rocket motor was used as a third stage.

The basic design of the original Vanguard upper stages, featuring a pressure-fed nitric acid/UDMH, regeneratively cooled engine, was kept in place, but with an improved AJ10-118 engine. More significantly, the Delta stage featured cold gas attitude control jets allowing it to be stabilized in orbit for restart and more precise burns.

The Thor-Delta was the first rocket to use the combination of a Thor missile and a Delta upper stage. This configuration was reused for many later rockets, and a derivative, the Delta II, remained in service until 2018.

The Thor-Delta launched a number of significant payloads, including the first communications satellite, Echo 1A; the first British satellite, Ariel 1; and the first active direct-relay communications satellite, Telstar 1. All 12 launches occurred from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17. The launch of Telstar 1 used pad B, while all other launches were from pad A. All launches were successful except the maiden flight, which failed to place Echo 1 into orbit due to a problem with the second stage.

Launch history

Date/Time (UTC)	Rocket	S/N	Launch Site	Payload	Function	Orbit	Outcome	Remarks
1960-05-13 09:16:05	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 144 Delta 1	CCAFS LC-17A	Echo 1	Communication	MEO	Failure	Maiden flight of Thor-Delta, upper-stage attitude control system malfunctioned
1960-08-12 09:39:43	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 270 Delta 2	CCAFS LC-17A	Echo 1A	Communications	MEO	Success
1960-11-23 11:13:03	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 245 Delta 3	CCAFS LC-17A	TIROS-2	Weather	SSO	Success
1961-03-25 15:17:04	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 295 Delta 4	CCAFS LC-17A	Explorer 10	Magnetospheric	HEO	Success
1961-07-12 10:25:06	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 286 Delta 5	CCAFS LC-17A	TIROS-3	Weather	SSO	Success
1961-08-16 03:21:05	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 312 Delta 6	CCAFS LC-17A	Explorer 12	Magnetospheric	HEO	Success
1962-02-08 12:43:45	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 317 Delta 7	CCAFS LC-17A	TIROS-4	Weather	SSO	Success
1962-03-07 16:06:18	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 301 Delta 8	CCAFS LC-17A	OSO-1	Solar	LEO	Success
1962-04-26 18:00:16	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 320 Delta 9	CCAFS LC-17A	Ariel 1	Ionospheric	LEO	Success
1962-06-19 12:19:01	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 321 Delta 10	CCAFS LC-17A	TIROS-5	Weather	SSO	Success
1962-07-10 08:35:05	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 316 Delta 11	CCAFS LC-17B	Telstar 1	Communication	MEO	Success
1962-09-18 08:53:08	Thor DM-19 Delta	Thor 318 Delta 12	CCAFS LC-17A	TIROS-6	Weather	SSO	Success	Final flight of Thor-Delta

See also

• List of Delta 4 launches
• List of Thor and Delta launches
• List of Thor and Delta launches (1960–1969)
• List of Delta IV Heavy launches
• List of Delta IV Medium launches
• Thor-Delta