UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

Thor Agena D | Poppy 4A & 4B

FAILURE Thor Agena D →
Jun 15, 1963 at 14:29 UTC
Low Earth Orbit Government/Top Secret Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA 85% success
Initializing Launch Globe…
Live Orbit
Fullscreen
Mission Control3D trajectory · Live telemetry · AI narrator · Booster tracking
PADSpace Launch Complex 2E
SITEVandenberg SFB, CA, USA →
ORBITLow Earth Orbit
TYPEGovernment/Top Secret

Poppy was the follow-on ELINT system, which succeeded the Grab ELINT satellite system.

MISSION
Poppy 4A & 4B
MISSION TYPE
Government/Top Secret
TARGET ORBIT
Low Earth Orbit
COUNTRY
USA
CONFIRMEDPrecision: Minute
LAUNCH LIBRARY 2 PRIMARY
API ID: de34a344-6fc7-4d21-acdf-b9a97f338e22
Reported date: Jun 15, 1963 at 14:29 UTC
Last synced: 15 minutes ago
This launch date and time are confirmed by the launch provider. Countdown is active.
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MANUFACTURER
McDonnell Douglas
VARIANT
Agena D
FLIGHTS
13
SUCCESSES
11
SUCCESS RATE
84.6%

Thor-Agena was a series of orbital launch vehicles. The rockets used Thor first stages and Agena second stages. They are thus cousins of the more-famous Thor-Deltas, which founded the Delta rocket family.

When is the Thor Agena D | Poppy 4A & 4B launch?
The Thor Agena D | Poppy 4A & 4B is scheduled for Saturday, June 15, 1963 at 2:29 PM UTC. This is the NET (No Earlier Than) time and may be subject to change. Current status: FAILURE.
What rocket is being used for Poppy 4A & 4B?
The Thor Agena D | Poppy 4A & 4B mission uses the Thor Agena D rocket, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The Thor Agena D has flown 13 times with a 84.6% success rate.
Where is the Thor Agena D | Poppy 4A & 4B launching from?
The launch takes place from Space Launch Complex 2E at Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit is Poppy 4A & 4B going to?
The Poppy 4A & 4B mission is targeting Low Earth Orbit.
Who is launching Poppy 4A & 4B?
The Thor Agena D | Poppy 4A & 4B is operated by United States Air Force.
Can I watch the Thor Agena D | Poppy 4A & 4B launch live?
Yes. Visit the launch detail page on Space Launch Live for embedded YouTube webcasts, replay videos, and links to live coverage from SpaceX, NASA, NASASpaceflight, and other channels.
Mar 28, 2026 20:12 UTC
Launch added to tracker
Imported from Launch Library 2 API
Mar 28, 2026 20:12 UTC
Launch date set: Jun 15, 1963 at 14:29 UTC
NET (No Earlier Than) confirmed by United States Air Force
Mar 28, 2026 20:12 UTC
Launch failure reported
Updated via Launch Library 2
Last data sync: 15 minutes ago
Launch Library 215 minutes ago
Launch ID: de34a344-6fc7-4d21-acdf-b9a97f338e22
Open-Meteo Weather2 days ago
Pad weather at 34.75, -120.62

Mission Profile

Poppy 4A & 4B was a Thor Agena D mission operated by United States Air Force that lifted off from Space Launch Complex 2E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on June 15, 1963. The flight carried its payload on a government/top secret mission to Low Earth Orbit. The launch ended in failure.