The Thor DSV-2 was a series of

sounding rocket A sounding rocket or rocketsonde, sometimes called a research rocket or a suborbital rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The rockets are used to ...

s, test vehicles, and

anti-satellite weapon Anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic or tactical purposes. Several nations possess operational ASAT systems. Although no ASAT system has been utilised in warfare, a few ...

s derived from the

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...

Intermediate-range ballistic missile An intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000–5,500 km (1,864–3,418 miles), between a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) and an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Classifying ...

. It was also used as the first stage of several Thor-derived

expendable launch system An expendable launch system (or expendable launch vehicle/ELV) is a launch vehicle that can be launched only once, after which its components are either destroyed during reentry or discarded in space. ELVs typically consist of several multistage ...

Variants

Thor DSV-2C

Thor DSV-2D

The DSV-2D was launched twice in 1962, conducting

suborbital A sub-orbital spaceflight is a spaceflight in which the spacecraft reaches outer space, but its trajectory intersects the atmosphere or surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched, so that it will not complete one orbital ...

research flights for the development of the

Program 437 Program 437 was the second anti-satellite weapons program of the U.S. military.Peebles, Curtis. "High Frontier: The United States Air Force and the Military Space Program", 1997 The US anti-satellite weapons program began development in the e ...

ASAT. It was a single-stage vehicle, consisting of a Thor DM-21. Launches were conducted from

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) is an installation of the United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45, located on Cape Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida. Headquartered at the nearby Patrick Space Force Base, the statio ...

Launch Complex 17A.

Thor DSV-2E

The DSV-2E was a single-stage vehicle, using a Thor DM-19. It was launched eight times in 1962, including several

nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb ...

s tests as part of

Operation Fishbowl Operation Fishbowl was a series of high-altitude nuclear tests in 1962 that were carried out by the United States as a part of the larger '' Operation Dominic'' nuclear test program. Flight-test vehicles were designed and manufactured by Avco ...

. Three launches failed, all of which were carrying live

nuclear warhead A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...

s. Launches were conducted from Launch Emplacements 1 and 2 on

Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is an unincorporated territory of the United States, currently administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Johnston Atoll is a National Wildlife Refuge and part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine Nati ...

Thor DSV-2F

The DSV-2F was a single-stage vehicle consisting of a Thor DM-19, like the DSV-2E. Three were launched between 1963 and 1964, as part of Project ASSET, which involved launching a sub-scale mockup of the X-20 Dyna-Soar to test materials for the larger spacecraft. Launches were conducted from

Launch Complex 17B.

Thor DSV-2G

The DSV-2G was a two-stage rocket, consisting of a Thor DM-19 first stage, and a Delta second stage. Three were launched between 1965 and 1965 as part of Project ASSET. Launches were conducted from

Launch Complex 17B.

Thor DSV-2J

The DSV-2J was an operational nuclear

. 18 were launched between 1964 and 1975. Most flights were non-intercept tests of the rocket's anti-satellite capabilities, however some later launches carried research payloads. Launches were conducted from Launch Emplacements 1 and 2 on

References

* * {{Thor and Delta rockets Expendable space launch systems Thor (rocket family)