Stats[]
Category. | Statistic. |
---|---|
Launch vehicle. | Vanguard rocket. |
Launch date. | 17 February 1959, 15:55 UTC. |
Launch site. | Cape Canaveral LC-18A. |
Ceased operations. | March 8, 1969. |
Owner(s). | Department of the Navy. |
Major contractor(s) | Naval Research Laboratory. |
Is it still in orbit. | Yes and it has an expected orbital lifetime of 300 years, so it will not burn up until at least 2259. |
Launch mass. | 10.8 kilograms (24 lb). |
Nationality(s). | American. |
Satellite type. | Weather satellite and an air density experiment.. |
Links. | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard_2. |
History[]
TIROS-1 was the World's first ever weather satellite and was sent up in the hope it may help hurricane detection work back on earth. Vanguard 2 did take several pictures of clouds earlier. The optical scanner experiment was designed to obtain cloud-cover data between the equator and 35° to 45° N latitude.
It is to be noted that modern services like Google Maps, hurricane tracking services and satellite TV all owe a debt to these early satellites.