Vanguard 1 Satellite [December 6--50th Anniversary of "Kaputnik"]

Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum ^

[Fiji Hill]

Project Vanguard represented the American commitment to place a satellite in orbit as part of its contribution to the International Geophysical Year. The project was managed by the Naval Research Laboratory and funded by the National Science Foundation. Vanguard 1, known as TV-3 before launch, was to have been placed in orbit on December 6, 1957. The satellite was recovered after the launch rocket malfunctioned almost immediately after ignition and crashed on the launchpad. It carries two radio transmitters to allow earth stations to track its flight; this would allow scientists to obtain data on the Earth's shape and variations in its gravitational field. The satellite was donated to NASM by Dr. John P. Hagen in 1975 and was placed in "Uncle Sam's" hand in the Apollo to the Moon Gallery in 1976. It is now exhibited in the Space Race Exhibit in NASM's Space Hall.

[Fiji Hill]

In the fall of 1957, with the Soviets having successfully launched two Sputnik satellites into orbit, America's hopes of getting into space were riding on Vanguard 1, a satellite set to fly into space from Cape Canaveral on December 6. However, the rocket exploded on the launch pad, and the test came to be known as "Kaputnik" or "flopnik." The Vanguard I shot can be viewed on Youtube.