VANGUARD R/B

Satellite information

Favourite Embed

Satellite Type and Status

ROCKET BODYIN ORBIT

Key statistics

Satellite VANGUARD R/B at a glance.

Uptime

24136

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: 125.476 minutes

Inclination: 32.9058 deg

SMA: 8302.349 km

Apoapsis: 3295.187 km

Periapsis: 553.242 km

RAAN: 38.2524 deg

Eccentricy: 0.1651307

Argument of periapsis: 201.2777 deg

Mean anomaly: 151.0477 deg

Mean motion: 11.47628327 rev/day

Mean motion (dot): 0.00000705 rev/day2

B* drag term: 0.00039347 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, 4:29 a.m. UTC

TLE line 0: 0 VANGUARD R/B

TLE line 1: 1 00012U 59001B 25075.18722246 .00000705 00000-0 39347-3 0 9990

TLE line 2: 2 00012 32.9058 38.2524 1651307 201.2777 151.0477 11.47628327478673

Live tracking on map

Real-time ground track for satellite VANGUARD R/B.

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 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.

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

...

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.