LAUNCH CENTER

Launch Image
Success
Mon Apr 13 1959
United States Air Force

Discoverer 2

Launch Successful
LAUNCH TIME
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RECOVERY OVERVIEW

Location

No Recovery Specified

Type

No Recovery Specified

Rocket Details

Name:

Thor Agena A

Description:

Thor-Agena was a series of orbital launch vehicles. The rockets used Thor first stages and Agena second stages. They are thus cousins of the more-famous Thor-Deltas, which founded the Delta rocket family.

Thor Agena A rocket
MISSION OVERVIEW
  • Type: Government/Top Secret
  • Discoverer II successfully reached orbit and took photos of Earth. However, when the capsule with the data was ejected in order to re-enter the atmosphere there was a timer malfunction meaning it seperated too early and landed over the North Pole rather than the intended target of Hawaii. The capsule was never recovered.
COMPLEX OVERVIEW

Location

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Pad

Space Launch Complex 1W