Vanguard TV-3, the first U.S. attempt to orbit a satellite after Sputnik, launched a 1.5 kg Naval Research Laboratory sphere from Cape Canaveral on 6 December 1957. The booster lost thrust after rising about four feet, fell back, and exploded—mocked in the press as "Flopnik" or "Kaputnik."
- Outcome
- Failure
- Orbit
- LEO
- Low Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- Did not reach orbit
- Flight
- 1st
- of 11 Vanguard flights