PGM-17 Thor
Aircraft / Project / Craft· 2 declassified document(s)
Also: Thor
The PGM-17 Thor was the first operational intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) deployed by the United States Air Force, later evolving into a highly successful family of space launch vehicles. Tested extensively at Vandenberg Air Force Base and other ranges during the Cold War, Thor launches produced high-altitude atmospheric effects. These tests were highly classified in their early stages, leading to public confusion.
Thor missile tests frequently generated high-altitude visual phenomena that were reported by the public and pilots as UFOs.