VANGUARD 1

Satellite information

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Satellite Type and Status

PAYLOADIN ORBIT

Key statistics

Satellite VANGUARD 1 at a glance.

Uptime

24583

Days in orbit

Revolutions

≈ 10.9

Per day

Orbit

MEO

Medium Earth Orbit

Inclination

34.2

Latest

Satellite identification and parameters

Extended collection of information and parameters for VANGUARD 1.

Object identification

Identified? True

Debris? False

Object name: VANGUARD 1

International designator: 1958-002B

Object number (NORAD): 5

Object ID (CCSDS): 5

Country: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (US)

Current information (Y/N): Y

RCS size: SMALL

Orbital parameters

Period: 132.606 minutes

Inclination: 34.2485 deg

SMA: 8613.935 km

Apoapsis: 3821.914 km

Periapsis: 649.686 km

RAAN: 304.589 deg

Eccentricy: 0.1841335

Argument of periapsis: 15.0409 deg

Mean anomaly: 349.8185 deg

Mean motion: 10.85926411 rev/day

Mean motion (dot): -0.00000037 rev/day2

B* drag term: -0.000029307 1/REarth

Two-line elements (TLE)

Creation date: July 5, 2025, 5:45 p.m.

Reference frame: TEME

Reference center: EARTH

Epoch: July 5, 2025, 10:19 a.m. UTC

TLE line 0: 0 VANGUARD 1

TLE line 1: 1 00005U 58002B 25186.42991674 -.00000037 00000-0 -29307-4 0 9991

TLE line 2: 2 00005 34.2485 304.5890 1841335 15.0409 349.8185 10.85926411405583

Live tracking on map

Real-time ground track for satellite VANGUARD 1.

In-orbit conjunctions

A list of the most updated potential collisions computed for object VANGUARD 1.

Target Orbit TCA Probability of collision Miss distance Type
DMSP 5D-2 F13 DEB SSO 2025-01-11 15:24:26 0.0001935991 783.0 (m) DEBRIS
FENGYUN 1C DEB SSO 2024-09-09 23:01:28 0.0003263759 948.0 (m) DEBRIS

Associated space launch

Small satellite used to test the Vanguard three-stage launch vehicle.

VANGUARD 1 was lifted into orbit during the mission ‘Vanguard | Vanguard’, on board a Vanguard space rocket.

The launch took place on March 17, 1958, 12:15 p.m. from Launch Complex 18A.

For more information about the launch, click the button.

Launch to space Vanguard | Vanguard
Vanguard | Vanguard

Agency: N/A

Status: Launch Successful

Launch date: March 17, 1958, 12:15 p.m. UTC

Rocket: Vanguard

Launch pad: Launch Complex 18A

Location: Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

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