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.
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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