Name: Explorer 15 — Thor Delta A
Start: 1962-10-27T23:15:01Z
End: 1962-10-27T23:15:01Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 17B

Question 1

What rocket is launching Explorer 15?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 15 is launching on the Thor Delta A.

Question 2

Who is launching Explorer 15?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 15 is being launched by United States Air Force, a government launch provider founded in 1947.

Question 3

Where is Explorer 15 launching from?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 15 is launching from Space Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Explorer 15 heading to?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 15 is heading to Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical).

Question 5

Is the Thor Delta A reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Thor Delta A is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Thor Delta A flown?

Accepted Answer

The Thor Delta A has launched 2 times to date, with 2 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Explorer 15 mission?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 15 was instrumented to study the artificial radiation belt produced by the Starfish high-altitude nuclear burst of July 1962. The backup payload for Explorer 14 was modified and used for Explorer 15.

Question 8

Where is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station?

Accepted Answer

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station sits on Florida's Atlantic coast, on the Eastern Range run by the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45. It is the United States' busiest launch site and has been America's gateway to orbit since the 1950s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, and United Launch Alliance flies the Vulcan Centaur (and the retiring Atlas V) from Space Launch Complex 41.

Question 10

Is Cape Canaveral the same as the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

No. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center are separate, neighbouring sites — Kennedy is on Merritt Island just to the north. Together they make up Florida's 'Space Coast'.

Question 11

Why do rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Its pads sit on the Eastern Range, letting rockets fly east out over the Atlantic toward the equatorial and geostationary orbits most commercial and national-security payloads need, away from populated land.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Space Coast is one of the easiest places in the world to watch a launch from public land. Popular free spots include Playalinda Beach, Space View Park in Titusville, and Jetty Park at Port Canaveral.

Explorer 15

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 17B

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions