Alamogordo in Otero County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Thor Engine with Cradle/Transporter

Photographed by James Hulse, July 24, 2024

1. Thor Engine with Cradle/Transporter Marker

Inscription. The Thor rocket was the first operational ballistic missile deployed by the U.S. Air Force. It was authorized in November 1955 to provide an independent Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) capability. The first production model of the Thor was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in October 1956. The Thor was also used as the core booster for many satellite and space exploration missions and despite a short life as a weapons system, the Thor was a critical development in the evolution of the U.S. space program.

Length - 65 feet (19.8 meters)
Diameter - 8 feet (2.4 meters)
Range - 1,500 miles (2,400 km)
Fuel - Liquid Oxygen (LOX) & Kerosene (600 pounds (72 gal.) per second)

Fun Fact: A direct descendant of the Thor engine is still used today in the Delta rockets that launch many of our satellites and space probes. The "Delta" name derives from it being the fourth "variant" of the original Thor, i.e. "Thor-Delta."

Captions
Thor Able with Pioneer 1 Satellite at Cape Canaveral in Florida.
Acquired from the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. NMMSH #08.007.001 and #08.007.002

Erected by New Mexico

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Museum of Space History.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1956.

Location. 32° 55.272′ N, 105° 55.24′ W. Marker is in Alamogordo, New Mexico, in Otero County. It is on North Scenic Drive 0.4 miles east of N Scenic Drive. The marker is located on the grounds of the New Mexico Museum of Space History. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2300 N Scenic Dr, Alamogordo NM 88310, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New Mexico’s Pecos Valley. It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Comanchería,

and the Republic of Texas.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: F-117A "Nighthawk" Ingress/Egress Trainer (a few steps from this marker); H-1 Rocket Engine (a few steps from this marker); X-8C Aerobee (a few steps from this marker); Apollo Command Module Boilerplate S/N 1207 (within

The Thor Engine with Cradle/Transporter and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, July 24, 2024

2. The Thor Engine with Cradle/Transporter and Marker

shouting distance of this marker); X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mockup (within shouting distance of this marker); Crawler Transporter Shoe (within shouting distance of this marker); Little Joe 2 (within shouting distance of this marker); X-7A Test Vehicle (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alamogordo.

The Thor Engine with Cradle/Transporter and Marker at the entrance to the museum image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, July 24, 2024

3. The Thor Engine with Cradle/Transporter and Marker at the entrance to the museum

Credits. This page was last revised on August 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 8, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 179 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 9, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.