LAUNCH CENTER

Failure

Fri Dec 06 1957

United States Navy

Vanguard

Launch Failure

LAUNCH PREVIEW

Launch Time

(4:44 PM UTC)

Launch Window Start

(4:44 PM UTC)

Launch Window End

(4:44 PM UTC)

RECOVERY OVERVIEW

Location

No Recovery Specified

Type

No Recovery Specified

Rocket Details

Name:

Vanguard

Description:

The Vanguard rocket was intended to be the first launch vehicle the United States would use to place a satellite into orbit. Instead, the Sputnik crisis caused by the surprise launch of Sputnik 1 led the U.S., after the failure of Vanguard TV3, to quickly orbit the Explorer 1 satellite using a Juno I rocket, making Vanguard I the second successful U.S. orbital launch.

MISSION OVERVIEW

Type: Test Flight
Small satellite used to test the Vanguard three-stage launch vehicle.

COMPLEX OVERVIEW

Location

Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

Pad

Launch Complex 18A