Launches
Launch SuccessfulUS Navy

Vanguard II

Vanguard

This mission has flown

February 17, 1959

Mission overview

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.

Rocket

Vanguard

Mission type

Earth Science

Payload

Vanguard II

Launch complex

Launch Complex 18A · Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Launch date

February 17, 1959

Launch window

Instantaneous window

Orbit reached

Medium Earth Orbit

Launch trajectory

The launch pad has not been identified. No flight path is shown.

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Mission updates

Live updates from our team at the press site will appear here on launch day.