US Air Force

Thor Burner I Thor Burner II Thor Burner IIA Thor-ISS

Overall
Vehicle

Operational from 20.05.1965 16.09.1966 14.10.1971 11.09.1976

 

to 31.03.1966 08.06.1971 19.02.1976 14.07.1980
Orbital flights   4 12 8 5
Payload weight t MEO 0.15 MEO 0.25 MEO 0.30 MEO 0.50
Gross liftoff weight t        
Gross propellant weight t 45.67 46.09  46.29  
Total length m    22.01  ~23.50  
Max. diameter (span) m        
Total liftoff thrust (s.l.) kN 676.1 676.1 676.1 676.1
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 127.0 128.2 128.7 131.1

Fairing

Total length m    3.35  5.89  
Diameter m 1.65 1.65 1.65 1.65
Total weight t      0.304  

Stage 3

Name     (Star 13A) Star 26B Star 37S
  Length m        
Diameter m 0.34 0.66 0.93
Liftoff weight t 0.038 0.261 0.711
Propellant weight t 0.033 0.238 0.658
Engines   TE-M-516 TE-M-442-1 TE-M-364-15
Propellant   solid HTPB solid HTPB solid HTPB
Total thrust (vac) kN 5.87 34.63  
Specific impulse (vac) N*s/kg 2809 2664 2817
Burn time s 15.9 18.3  
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 0.09 0.6 1.9
Stage 2

Name

  Star 20 Star 37B Star 37B Star 37XE
  Length m        
Diameter m 0.50 0.93 0.93 0.93
Liftoff weight t 0.301 0.718 0.718 1.150
Propellant weight t 0.273 0.654 0.654 1.067
Engines   TE-M-640-1 TE-M-364-2 TE-M-364-2 TE-M-714-1
Propellant   solid HTPB solid HTPB solid HTPB solid HTPB
Total thrust (vac) kN 27.13 44.48 44.48 51.10
Specific impulse (vac) N*s/kg 2809 2854 2854 2899
Burn time s 28.4 41.8 41.8 59.6
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 0.8 1.9 1.9 3.0

Stage 1

Name   Thor DM-18 Thor DM-18 Thor DM-18 Thor DM-18
  Length m 18.66 18.66 18.66 18.66
Diameter m 2.44 2.44 2.44 2.44
Liftoff weight t 48.60 48.60 48.60 48.60
Propellant weight t 45.40 45.40 45.40 45.40
Engines   MB-3-I MB-3-I MB-3-I MB-3-I
Propellant  

Kerosene/LOX

Kerosene/LOX

Kerosene/LOX

Kerosene/LOX

Total thrust (s.l.) kN 667.2 (+8.9) 667.2 (+8.9) 667.2 (+8.9) 667.2 (+8.9)
Specific impulse (s.l.) N*s/kg 2456 2456 2456 2456
Burn time s 164.4 164.4 164.4 164.4
Total impulse (vac) MN*s 126.2 126.2 126.2 126.2