Delta B


The Delta B, or Thor-Delta B was an American expendable launch system used for nine orbital launches between 1962 and 1964. A derivative of the Thor-Delta, it was a member of the Delta family of rockets.
The first stage was a Thor missile in the DM-21 configuration, and the second stage was the AJ10-118, which was derived from the earlier Delta-A. An Altair solid rocket motor was used as a third stage.
All nine launches occurred from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17. Most of the launches carried communications satellites, including Syncom-1 and Syncom-2. Syncom-1 was intended to be the first satellite to be placed into a geosynchronous orbit, however the spacecraft malfunctioned prior to reaching this orbit. Syncom-2 subsequently became the first geosynchronous satellite, and was placed at 55° west of the Greenwich Meridian. The final launch failed due to third stage underperformance, all other launches were successful.

Delta B launches

Delta B was launched nine times:
DateSer.Launch sitePayload
13.12.1962Thor 355 Delta 15LC-17ARelay 1
14.02.1963Thor 358 Delta 16LC-17BSyncom 1
03.04.1963Thor 357 Delta 17LC-17BExplorer 17
07.05.1963Thor 366 Delta 18LC-17BTelstar 2
19.06.1963Thor 359 Delta 19LC-17BTIROS 7
26.07.1963Thor 370 Delta 20LC-17ASyncom 2
21.12.1963Thor 371 Delta 22LC-17BTIROS 8
21.01.1964Thor 373 Delta 23LC-17BRelay 2
19.03.1964Thor 391 Delta 24LC-17AExplorer S-66