| Function: | Expendable launch system |
| Country-Origin: | United States |
| Sites: | Cape Canaveral LC-17 |
| Launches: | 2 |
| Success: | 2 |
| Status: | Retired |
| First: | 2 October 1962 |
| Last: | 27 October 1962 |
The Delta A, or Thor-Delta A was an American expendable launch system used to launch two Explorer spacecraft in October 1962. A derivative of the Thor-Delta, it was a member of the Delta family of launch vehicles. The Thor-Delta itself was a Thor booster with an Able second stage and Altair third stage.[1] [2]
The first stage was a Thor missile in the DM-21 configuration, and the second stage was the Delta-A, an uprated version of the original Delta. An Altair solid rocket motor was used as a third stage. Both launches occurred from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Launch Complex 17B, and were successful. The first launched Explorer 14, and the second Explorer 15.