Vanguard 1
A small spacecraft with a long history. Vanguard 1 offers a way to connect the first years of the Space Age with an object that is still represented in today's orbital catalogue.
- Launch date
- March 17, 1958
- International designator
- 1958-002B
- Original programme
- Project Vanguard
- Historical role
- Second U.S. satellite in orbit
- Power milestone
- First solar-powered satellite
- Catalogue name
- VANGUARD 1
An early test of technology in space
Vanguard 1 launched on March 17, 1958. NASA identifies it as the world's first solar-powered satellite and the second United States satellite to reach orbit, following Explorer 1.
Its original work included testing a three-stage launch system and studying how the environment in Earth orbit affected a satellite and its systems. The programme began at the Naval Research Laboratory, before NASA was established.
Part of the beginning of the Space Age
Project Vanguard started in 1955 as a scientific effort associated with the International Geophysical Year. Several early launch failures preceded the successful Vanguard 1 flight.
The programme also helped shape the institution that followed it. Members of the Vanguard team brought their experience to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, contributing to the beginnings of a much wider Earth and space science programme.
What the tracker shows
An object appearing in an orbit catalogue is not a statement that its original instruments are operating. The tracker predicts Vanguard 1's position from available orbital elements; it is not receiving a live broadcast from the satellite. Use the TLE tab to check the element epoch and compare its orbital shape with the other featured missions.
Choose Track live to open this exact NORAD ID on the globe. From there you can open Info, inspect TLE data, explore the charts or calculate upcoming passes. Sign in and tap the star to keep the satellite in your existing favorites.
Open Vanguard 1 in the tracker