Key statistics
Satellite VANGUARD R/B at a glance.
Uptime
24182
Days in orbit
Revolutions
≈ 11.5
Per day
Orbit
MEO
Medium Earth Orbit
Inclination
32.9
Latest
Satellite identification and parameters
Extended collection of information and parameters for VANGUARD R/B.
Object identification
Identified? True
Debris? False
Object name: VANGUARD R/B
International designator: 1959-001B
Object number (NORAD): 12
Object ID (CCSDS): 12
Country: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (US)
Current information (Y/N): Y
RCS size: MEDIUM
Orbital parameters
Period: 125.468 minutes
Inclination: 32.8969 deg
SMA: 8301.976 km
Apoapsis: 3293.68 km
Periapsis: 554.003 km
RAAN: 231.0373 deg
Eccentricy: 0.1650015
Argument of periapsis: 92.5036 deg
Mean anomaly: 286.4597 deg
Mean motion: 11.47705635 rev/day
Mean motion (dot): 0.00000892 rev/day2
B* drag term: 0.00052904 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, 4:58 p.m. UTC
TLE line 0: 0 VANGUARD R/B
TLE line 1: 1 00012U 59001B 25122.70756939 .00000892 00000-0 52904-3 0 9998
TLE line 2: 2 00012 32.8969 231.0373 1650015 92.5036 286.4597 11.47705635484134
Live tracking on map
Real-time ground track for satellite VANGUARD R/B.
In-orbit conjunctions
There are no conjunctions computed for VANGUARD R/B, 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 R/B 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
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