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Thor Delta | Echo 1
United States Air ForceLaunch Successful

Echo 1

Thor Delta

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Historical mission record

This page records Thor Delta | Echo 1 and its reported outcome: Launch Successful. The date above is a historical record.

Source record updated . This is a source update, not a confirmed launch time.

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Mission status
Launch Successful

Status reported by the mission data provider.

LAUNCH SITECape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Mission

The Echo 1A spacecraft was a 30.48 m diameter balloon of mylar polyester film 0.0127 mm thick. The spacecraft was designed as a passive communications reflector for transcontinental and intercontinental telephone (voice), radio, and television signals. It had 107.9 MHz beacon transmitters for telemetry purposes. These transmitters were powered by five nickel-cadmium batteries that were charged by 70 solar cells mounted on the balloon. Because of the large area-to-mass ratio of the spacecraft, data for the calculation of atmospheric density and solar pressure could be acquired. The spacecraft was also used to evaluate the technical feasibility of satellite triangulation during the latter portion of its life. Echo 1 failed during the coast period after launch, as the attitude control jets on the second stage failed and the spacecraft did not achieve orbit. Echo 1A was a successful relaunch.

Launch vehicle
Thor Delta
Mission type
Communications
Destination orbit
Elliptical Orbit
Launch pad
Space Launch Complex 17A
Provider
United States Air Force

The vehicle

Published configuration and flight history.

Thor Delta
NOAA
Launch vehicle

Thor Delta

American orbital launch vehicle. Commercial name for the military's Thor-Delta.

Height
31 m
Diameter
2.44 m
Stages
3
Recorded launches
9
First flight
1960-05-13

Recorded timing

This is a mission record, not an upcoming calendar appointment.

Instantaneous windowPublished target
SCHEDULED MOMENT

A single scheduled moment. The schedule may change before launch.

Launch site & orbit

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

The mission in perspective

Launch site

DestinationElliptical Orbit

Explore the launch pad on Earth using its published coordinates.

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NASA Blue Marble map of Earth's continents and oceans
Geographic view · illustrative lightingNo live tracking or simulated ascent. NASA Blue Marble.

Coverage & sources

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Mission coverage

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