# Thorad-Agena D

> rocket developed by the USA, more powerful than the Thor-Agena D

**Wikidata**: [Q582838](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q582838)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorad-Agena)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/thorad-agena-d

## Summary
Thorad-Agena D is an American orbital launch vehicle developed by Douglas, more powerful than the Thor-Agena D. It was used for various military and scientific satellite launches during the Cold War era.

## Key Facts
- Developed by Douglas Aircraft Company in the United States
- More powerful than its predecessor, the Thor-Agena D
- Used for orbital spaceflight missions
- Has aliases including Thorad SLV-2G Agena D, Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D, and Thorad-Agena
- Manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company
- Country of origin: United States
- Part of the Thor-Agena family of rockets
- Has 6 Wikipedia sitelinks across multiple languages

## FAQs
### Q: What was the Thorad-Agena D used for?
A: The Thorad-Agena D was used for orbital spaceflight missions, launching various military and scientific satellites into Earth orbit.

### Q: Who manufactured the Thorad-Agena D?
A: The Thorad-Agena D was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company.

### Q: How does the Thorad-Agena D compare to the Thor-Agena D?
A: The Thorad-Agena D is more powerful than the Thor-Agena D, representing an advancement in launch vehicle technology.

## Why It Matters
The Thorad-Agena D represents an important evolution in American space launch capabilities during the Cold War. As a more powerful variant of the Thor-Agena D, it enabled the United States to launch heavier payloads into orbit, supporting both military reconnaissance missions and scientific research. This rocket played a crucial role in expanding America's presence in space during a critical period of technological competition. Its development by Douglas Aircraft Company demonstrates the collaboration between aerospace manufacturers and government agencies to advance space technology. The Thorad-Agena D's enhanced capabilities allowed for more ambitious satellite missions, contributing to advancements in weather monitoring, Earth observation, and national security.

## Notable For
- More powerful variant of the Thor-Agena D launch vehicle
- Used for both military and scientific satellite launches
- Manufactured by major aerospace company Douglas Aircraft
- Part of the important Thor-Agena family of rockets
- Supported Cold War era space operations and research

## Body
### Development and Design
The Thorad-Agena D was developed as an enhanced version of the Thor-Agena D, featuring increased payload capacity and improved performance characteristics. It was designed and built by Douglas Aircraft Company, a major American aerospace manufacturer.

### Components and Configuration
The rocket consisted of several key components:
- Long Tank Thor first stage
- Three Castor 2 solid rocket boosters
- Agena D upper stage

### Launch History and Missions
The Thorad-Agena D was used to launch various types of satellites, including:
- Meteorological satellites (Nimbus series)
- Military geodetic satellites (SECOR)
- Technology demonstration satellites (ASTEX)
- Geophysical research satellites (OGO series)
- Reconnaissance satellites (Corona program)

### Technical Specifications
While specific performance data is limited in the available sources, the Thorad-Agena D was noted as being more powerful than its predecessor, suggesting improvements in thrust, payload capacity, or both.

### Legacy and Impact
As part of the Thor-Agena family, the Thorad-Agena D contributed to the United States' space capabilities during a critical period of the Cold War. Its enhanced performance allowed for more ambitious satellite missions, supporting both national security and scientific research objectives.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Thorad-Agena D",
  "description": "American orbital launch vehicle developed by Douglas, more powerful than the Thor-Agena D",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorad-Agena",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q328",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorad-Agena"
  ],
  "additionalType": "rocket model"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/thorad-slv2h_agena-d.htm)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013