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 ballistic 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 oxygen 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.