The Thor Rocket
From 'Model Rockets For beginners' by H Gilmore
The Thor, a United States Air Force surface-to-surface rocket, was the first
American intermediate-range bal�listic missile to be put into operation. An
intermediate-range ballistic missile is one that has a range of between 1200
and 1500 miles.
The Thor�a single-stage missile transportable by air�is propelled by an engine
fueled with liquid oxy�gen and a high grade of kerosene. It has a thrust of over
150,000 pounds and travels at 10,000 miles per hour. This rocket is 65 feet long
and 8 feet in diameter. Made of aluminum, it weighs 110,000 pounds.
The Thor was used to launch the Discoverer series of satellites and served as the
first stage in a number of other satellite and lunar-probe launchings. In the
early 1960's it was one of the most successful of our space-exploration vehicles.
