Key statistics
Satellite VANGUARD 2 at a glance.
Uptime
24182
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: 121.037 minutes
Inclination: 32.8735 deg
SMA: 8105.348 km
Apoapsis: 2901.722 km
Periapsis: 552.703 km
RAAN: 197.228 deg
Eccentricy: 0.1449055
Argument of periapsis: 243.135 deg
Mean anomaly: 101.4005 deg
Mean motion: 11.89721407 rev/day
Mean motion (dot): 0.00002866 rev/day2
B* drag term: 0.0014914 1/REarth
Two-line elements (TLE)
Creation date: May 3, 2025, 2:26 a.m.
Reference frame: TEME
Reference center: EARTH
Epoch: May 2, 2025, 9:09 p.m. UTC
TLE line 0: 0 VANGUARD 2
TLE line 1: 1 00011U 59001A 25122.88178855 .00002866 00000-0 14914-2 0 9992
TLE line 2: 2 00011 32.8735 197.2280 1449055 243.1350 101.4005 11.89721407486578
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
...
Latest news about this satellite
There are no fresh news available about this satellite. Check back as we update our databases every day.
Newsletter sign-up
Weekly statistics, charts and insights to help you stay on top of the space industry.
