Name: Transit 3A — Thor DM-21 Ablestar
Start: 1960-11-30T19:50:00Z
End: 1960-11-30T19:50:00Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 17B

Question 1

What rocket is launching Transit 3A?

Accepted Answer

Transit 3A is launching on the Thor DM-21 Ablestar.

Question 2

Who is launching Transit 3A?

Accepted Answer

Transit 3A is being launched by United States Air Force, a government launch provider founded in 1947.

Question 3

Where is Transit 3A launching from?

Accepted Answer

Transit 3A is launching from Space Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Transit 3A heading to?

Accepted Answer

Transit 3A is heading to Polar Orbit (PO).

Question 5

Is the Thor DM-21 Ablestar reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Thor DM-21 Ablestar is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Thor DM-21 Ablestar flown?

Accepted Answer

The Thor DM-21 Ablestar has launched 19 times to date, with 13 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Transit 3A mission?

Accepted Answer

Transit 3A was a US Navy navigation satellite that was destroyed by range safety when the launch vehicle shut down too early.

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.

Transit 3A

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 17B

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions