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Project Thor was an idea for a weapons system that launches telephone pole-sized kinetic projectiles made from tungsten from Earth's orbit to damage targets on the ground. Jerry Pournelle created the concept while working in operations research at Boeing in the 1950s before becoming a science-fiction writer. [8] [9]
These obstacles further degraded the weapon's suitability and effectiveness for war. Part of Program 437 was 437 Alternate Payload (AP) which was used for satellite inspection. Thor DSV-2J missiles were used for the 437 Alternate Payload program. Eighteen DSV-2J Thors were launched from the Atoll between February 14, 1964, and November 6, 1975. [2]
The satellite was targeted on Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and parts of Central Europe. [6] Thor 3 is no longer in operation and was moved to its graveyard orbit in 2019. Thor 3 was replaced by Thor 6 in June 2010.
The W49 was an American thermonuclear warhead, used on the Thor, Atlas, Jupiter, and Titan I ballistic missile systems. W49 warheads were manufactured starting in 1958 and were in service until 1965, with a few warheads being retained until 1975. The weapon itself was a Mark 28 Y1 warhead modified for the missile role.
The Space Systems Division's Program 437 used Thor boosters and nuclear warheads to destroy a satellite or space-based weapon from Johnston Atoll. The system was declared operational in 1964 and turned over to Aerospace Defense Command, however it was put on standby in 1970 and shut down in 1975. Program 437 also include the Program 437AP ...
Thor was designed from the start to be a countervalue weapon, aimed at Soviet cities. Unlike Jupiter, Thor was designed to be transported by aircraft, specifically the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. ABMA's work on the Jupiter progressed throughout the U.S. Navy's brief involvement, especially work on the INS. The goal had originally been to ...
Forty-three launches took place from 1966-72 with two complete failures and one partial. [2] [3] [5] [6]The launch of a KH-4A photo reconnaissance satellite on May 9, 1967, malfunctioned when the Thor's first stage failed to cut off on schedule and continued burning until LOX depletion, thus putting the satellite into an incorrect orbit that seriously reduced its image quality.
The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.A RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 anti-ballistic missile is launched from USS Shiloh, a US Navy Ticonderoga-class cruiser.. Anti-satellite weapons, which are primarily surface-to-space and air-to-space missiles, have been developed by the United States, the USSR/Russia, India and the People's Republic of China.