MISSION NAME
Discoverer 2 2
Status
Success
DATE
13 APR 1959
LAUNCH PROVIDER
United States Air Force
Launch Pad
Space Launch Complex 1W
Description
Discoverer II successfully reached orbit and took photos of Earth. However, when the capsule with the data was ejected in order to re-enter the atmosphere there was a timer malfunction meaning it seperated too early and landed over the North Pole rather than the intended target of Hawaii. The capsule was never recovered.
Thor Agena A
Rocket Description
Thor-Agena was a series of orbital launch vehicles. The rockets used Thor first stages and Agena second stages. They are thus cousins of the more-famous Thor-Deltas, which founded the Delta rocket family.