Vanguard 1 (TV-4), a 1.47 kg Naval Research Laboratory IGY satellite, launched on a Vanguard rocket from Cape Canaveral on 17 March 1958. The second successful U.S. satellite and first solar-powered spacecraft, it remains the oldest human-made object still in Earth orbit.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- LEO
- Low Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 2 kg
- Flight
- 3rd
- of 11 Vanguard flights
- Date and time
- 17 March 1958, 12:15 UTC
- Rocket
- Vanguard
- Builder
- LM
- Launch site
- Launch Complex 18A, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
- Payload
- Test Flight
- International designator
- 1958-002
- Launches in 1958
- 4th of 28
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
Object pages on Space Atlas: Vanguard 1, Vanguard rocket body
View satellites in Space Atlas