Name: Explorer 17 — Thor Delta B
Start: 1963-04-03T02:00:02Z
End: 1963-04-03T02:00:02Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 17A

Question 1

What rocket is launching Explorer 17?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 17 is launching on the Thor Delta B.

Question 2

Who is launching Explorer 17?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 17 is being launched by United States Air Force, a government launch provider founded in 1947.

Question 3

Where is Explorer 17 launching from?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

What orbit is Explorer 17 heading to?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 17 is heading to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Question 5

Is the Thor Delta B reusable?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

How many times has the Thor Delta B flown?

Accepted Answer

The Thor Delta B has launched 9 times to date, with 8 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Explorer 17 mission?

Accepted Answer

Explorer 17 carried four pressure gauges for the measurement of total neutral particle density, two mass spectrometers for the measurement of certain neutral particle concentrations, and two electrostatic probes for ion concentration and electron temperature measurements.

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 17

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 17A

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions