![]() the Gemini-Agena target vehicles used by NASA for space capsule docking experiments in 1966. The Agena D launched a large number of military and scientific payloads, including e.g. The earlier Agena A/B vehicles were tailor-made for their respective payloads and launcher types. This was essentially a "standardized" Agena B, which could accept a variety of payloads (in a conical payload section in the nose) and be fitted to Atlas, Thor or Titan launchers without changes to the basic Agena. The majority of Agenas were of the final Agena D variant. The designation Agena C was reserved for a proposed enlarged variant, which was to have doubled the capability of the Agena B (most likely by doubling the fuel tank size). The Atlas-Agena B launched a variety of spacecraft, the major ones being Midas early-warning systems, Samos ELINT systems and Ranger space probes. Most of the Thor-Agena B vehicles launched KH-series reconnaissance systems (all KH-2/3 CORONAs, and some satellites of the KH-4 CORONA and KH-5 ARGON series). * Thor variant counts slightly differ between sources, but Thor-Agena total is not in question Thrust-Augmented Thor ( SLV-2A/C) + Agena B Later models of the Agena B used a further improved XLR81-BA-9 (Bell Model 8096) engine, which (among other changes) increased the thrust to 71.1 kN (16000 lb) by using a different type of fuel. When launched into low orbits, the Agena B had plenty of fuel left for extensive orbital manoeuvers, an important requirement for a reconnaissance platform. Both features greatly increased the versatility of the Agena vehicle. The Agena B had an improved XLR81-BA-7 engine (Bell Model 8081), which could be restarted in space, and was stretched to carry much more propellant, doubling the total burn time to 240 s. The Thor-Agena A launched the initial reconnaissance satellites of the CORONA (publicly named Discoverer) series (KH-1 system), while the Atlas-Agena A was used for the first two launches of both the Midas (Missile Detection And Surveillance) early-warning system and Samos (Satellite and Missile Observation System) ELINT satellite series. The engine had gimballed nozzles for pitch and yaw control, and could deliver a thrust of 68.9 kN (15500 lb) for up to 120 s. The first few Agenas, including the vehicle used in the Discoverer 1 launch, used a Bell XLR81-BA-3 rocket engine, but most vehicles of the initial Agena A series used an XLR81-BA-5 (Bell Model 8048). The first launch of a Thor-Agena combination in January 1959 was a failure, but on 28 February that year, Agena scored its first success when a Thor-Agena launcher placed the Discoverer 1 satellite into polar orbit. Lockheed's Agena spacecraft was built around the Bell XLR81 liquid-propellant rocket engine, and was initially known informally as Hustler, because the XLR81 was originally developed for a (later cancelled) rocket-powered weapons pod for the B-58 Hustler bomber. The core element of WS-117L was a new multipurpose spacecraft with boost and manoeuvering engines, which would act as the second stage of the launch vehicle as well as the carrier vehicle for the reconnaissance system. ![]() The initial primary goal of WS-117L was the development an orbital photo-reconnaissance platform, and in October 1956, Lockheed became prime contractor for the system. Air Force began its Weapons System 117L program, calling for the development of a strategic satellite system. Air Force allocated the formal missile designator RM-81 to the Agena (see section on RM-81 Designation for details). It is included in this missile directory, because the U.S. The Agena itself was actually the first general-purpose satellite, and formed the core for many operational satellites and experimental space vehicles. The Agena space vehicle was used in large numbers during the 1960s and 1970s as upper stage with SLV-2 Thor, SLV-3 Atlas and SLV-5 Titan boosters to launch a variety of military and civilian payloads into orbit. Agena originally called 'Hustler', based on engine for cancelled rocket-propelled nuclear warhead pod for B-58 Hustler bomber.ĪKA: Atlas-Hustler LV-3A. Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9Ī- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- ZĪtlas Agena A - Midas 2 - COSPAR 1960 ZetaĪmerican orbital launch vehicle.
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