VANGUARD 2

Satellite information

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Satellite Type and Status

PAYLOADIN ORBIT

Key statistics

Satellite VANGUARD 2 at a glance.

Uptime

24135

Days in orbit

Revolutions

≈ 11.9

Per day

Orbit

MEO

Medium Earth Orbit

Inclination

32.9

Latest

Satellite identification and parameters

Extended collection of information and parameters for VANGUARD 2.

Object identification

Identified? True

Debris? False

Object name: VANGUARD 2

International designator: 1959-001A

Object number (NORAD): 11

Object ID (CCSDS): 11

Country: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (US)

Current information (Y/N): Y

RCS size: MEDIUM

Orbital parameters

Period: 121.075 minutes

Inclination: 32.8744 deg

SMA: 8107.054 km

Apoapsis: 2904.042 km

Periapsis: 553.796 km

RAAN: 17.4266 deg

Eccentricy: 0.1449507

Argument of periapsis: 332.1053 deg

Mean anomaly: 20.8642 deg

Mean motion: 11.89345829 rev/day

Mean motion (dot): 0.00004002 rev/day2

B* drag term: 0.0021214 1/REarth

Two-line elements (TLE)

Creation date: March 16, 2025, 6:34 p.m.

Reference frame: TEME

Reference center: EARTH

Epoch: March 16, 2025, 4:44 a.m. UTC

TLE line 0: 0 VANGUARD 2

TLE line 1: 1 00011U 59001A 25075.19771900 .00004002 00000-0 21214-2 0 9998

TLE line 2: 2 00011 32.8744 17.4266 1449507 332.1053 20.8642 11.89345829480896

Live tracking on map

Real-time ground track for satellite VANGUARD 2.

Associated space launch

Vanguard II is an Earth orbiting satellite and the first weather satellite. It was designed to measure cloud-cover distribution over the daylight portion of its orbit for a period of 19 days and to provide information on the density of the atmosphere.

VANGUARD 2 was lifted into orbit during the mission ‘Vanguard | Vanguard II’, on board a Vanguard space rocket.

The launch took place on Feb. 17, 1959, 3:55 p.m. from Launch Complex 18A.

For more information about the launch, click the button.

Launch to space Vanguard | Vanguard II
Vanguard | Vanguard II

Agency: N/A

Status: Launch Successful

Launch date: Feb. 17, 1959, 3:55 p.m. UTC

Rocket: Vanguard

Launch pad: Launch Complex 18A

Location: Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

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