Key statistics
Satellite VANGUARD 2 at a glance.
Uptime
24351
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: 121.0 minutes
Inclination: 32.866 deg
SMA: 8103.721 km
Apoapsis: 2898.683 km
Periapsis: 552.488 km
RAAN: 278.009 deg
Eccentricy: 0.14476037
Argument of periapsis: 124.2547 deg
Mean anomaly: 250.3736 deg
Mean motion: 11.90079728 rev/day
Mean motion (dot): 0.00000721 rev/day2
B* drag term: 0.00037852111 1/REarth
Two-line elements (TLE)
Creation date: Oct. 19, 2025, 2:20 a.m.
Reference frame: TEME
Reference center: EARTH
Epoch: Oct. 18, 2025, 10:01 p.m. UTC
TLE line 0: 0 VANGUARD 2
TLE line 1: 1 00011U 59001A 25291.91772774 .00000721 00000-0 37852-3 0 9998
TLE line 2: 2 00011 32.8660 278.0090 1447604 124.2547 250.3736 11.90079728506715
Live tracking on map
Real-time ground track for satellite VANGUARD 2.
In-orbit conjunctions
There are no conjunctions computed for VANGUARD 2, at the moment. Check back to stay up to date, as we update our databases every day.
Go to all conjunctionsAssociated 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.
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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Latest news about this satellite
There are no fresh news available about this satellite. Check back as we update our databases every day.
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