Key statistics
Satellite VANGUARD R/B at a glance.
Uptime
24429
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: 125.385 minutes
Inclination: 32.9072 deg
SMA: 8298.342 km
Apoapsis: 3287.646 km
Periapsis: 552.769 km
RAAN: 82.3995 deg
Eccentricy: 0.16478457
Argument of periapsis: 317.8738 deg
Mean anomaly: 30.6041 deg
Mean motion: 11.48459639 rev/day
Mean motion (dot): 0.00001573 rev/day2
B* drag term: 0.00090186215 1/REarth
Two-line elements (TLE)
Creation date: Jan. 4, 2026, 9:10 p.m.
Reference frame: TEME
Reference center: EARTH
Epoch: Jan. 4, 2026, 10:07 a.m. UTC
TLE line 0: 0 VANGUARD R/B
TLE line 1: 1 00012U 59001B 26004.42157907 .00001573 00000-0 90186-3 0 9998
TLE line 2: 2 00012 32.9072 82.3995 1647846 317.8738 30.6041 11.48459639512492
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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