The Thor-Delta launch vehicle - Past and future.
Thor Delta launch vehicle design and space missions, discussing future performance capability predictions and mission plans
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Thor Delta launch vehicle design and space missions, discussing future performance capability predictions and mission plans
Characterization of engine-exhaust effluents (hydrogen chloride, aluminum oxide, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide) has been attempted by conducting field experiments monitoring the exhaust cloud from a Scout-Algol III vehicle launch and a Delta-Thor vehicle launch. The exhaust cloud particulate size number distribution (total number of particles as a function of particle diameter), mass loading, morphology, and elemental composition have been determined within limitations. The gaseous species in the exhaust cloud have been identified. In addition to the ground-based measurements, instrumented aircraft flights through the low-altitude, stabilized-exhaust cloud provided measurements which identified CO and HCI gases and Al2O3 particles. Measurements of the initial exhaust cloud during formation and downwind at several distances have established sampling techniques which will be used for experimental verification of model predictions of effluent dispersion and fallout from exhaust clouds.
Prelaunch & flight vibration measurements on thor vehicles
Studies are given for sizing and integrating a high energy upper stage restartable solid motor into a flight stage with various payloads for use with Titan 3 and Thor launch vehicles. Motor and stage configurations are given along with performance evaluation of the HEUS-RS with the space shuttle.
Delta and Thor Agena launch vehicles for scientific and applications satellites
In-flight base heating and thermal environment measurements from Thor Delta launch vehicle using six strap-on solid propellant motors
Mathematical model and longitudinal oscillation mode computations for Thor and Agena test vehicles
Systems optimization for motion stability matrix problem - predictive guidance for Thor vehicle trajectory
Longitudinal vibration response of simplified Thor vehicle structure determined in analytical and experimental study
Electric rocket test out of earth shadow - thor- agena launch of solar electric test satellite /set/ program
Launching of second Orbiting Geophysical Observatory satellite by thrust augmented Thor-Agena D rocket
Performance of thrust augmented Thor Agena launch vehicle
Three spacecraft configurations were designed for operation as a high powered synchronous communications satellite. Each spacecraft includes a 1 kw TWT and a 2 kw Klystron power amplifier feeding an antenna with multiple shaped beams. One of the spacecraft is designed to be boosted by a Thor-Delta launch vehicle and raised to synchronous orbit with electric propulsion. The other two are inserted into a elliptical transfer orbit with an Atlas Centaur and injected into final orbit with an apogee kick motor. Advanced technologies employed in the several configurations include tubes with multiple stage collectors radiating directly to space, multiple-contoured beam antennas, high voltage rollout solar cell arrays with integral power conditioning, electric propulsion for orbit raising and on-station attitude control and station-keeping, and liquid metal slip rings.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Marshall Space Flight Center multilayer diffusion algorithms have been specialized for the prediction of the surface impact for the dispersive transport of the exhaust effluents from the launch of a Delta-Thor vehicle. This specialization permits these transport predictions to be made at the launch range in real time so that the effluent monitoring teams can optimize their monitoring grids. Basically, the data reduction routine requires only the meteorology profiles for the thermodynamics and kinematics of the atmosphere as an input. These profiles are graphed along with the resulting exhaust cloud rise history, the centerline concentrations and dosages, and the hydrogen chloride isopleths.
Lateral bending vibration analysis for Thor- Agena test vehicle - rotary inertia, shear, and propellant sloshing
A fact sheet on the NASA space science program is presented. Some of the subjects considered include the following: (1) the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, (2) the Orbiting Solar Observatory, (3) the Small Astronomy Satellite, (4) lunar programs, (5) planetary programs using the Mariner, Pioneer 10, and Viking space probes, and (6) the Scout, Thor-Delta, and Atlas-Centaur launch vehicles. For each program there is a description of the effort, the schedule, management, program officials, and funding aspects in outline form.
The Delta 3924 launch vehicle configuration which incorporates the extended long tank Thor booster, nine Castor 4 strap-on motors, the AJ-118 second stage and the TE 364-4 third stage is to place into a synchronous transfer orbit, the second in a series of high-traffic capacity, 24 transponder communications satellites. Three days after launch, the satellite's apogee kick motor circularizes the orbit at geosynchronous altitude of 19,300 NM above the equator at approximately 128 degrees W longitude. The satellite can service commercial and government voice, digital and video communications requirements between Alaska and CONUS. The communications payload, mission requirements and spacecraft systems and subsystems are described.
The Terrestrial HIAD Orbital Reentry (THOR) is planned for flight in 2016 as a secondary payload on an Orbital Sciences commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station. THOR will launch with its Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) stowed as a small cylinder between the second stage motor and the launch vehicle fairing. Once the Cygnus cargo vehicle has separated from the second stage, THOR will likewise separate, autonomously re-orient itself, perform a deorbit burn, then inflate the HIAD to a 3.5m diameter cone before atmospheric interface. THOR is a follow-on mission to the IRVE-3 flight test of 2012. The high energy of orbital reentry will allow THOR to demonstrate the performance of its improved, second-generation inflatable structure and flexible TPS materials, in a more energetic entry environment than previous suborbital test flights.This paper discusses the sequence of events planned to occur as part of the THOR mission. Specific topics will include the THOR mission concept, reentry vehicle design for the expected flight environment, the on-board sensors that will allow quantification of vehicle performance, and how we intend to retrieve the flight data from a reentry vehicle splashing down in international waters.