The world’s oldest flying satellite
Link here. It also happens to have been the fourth ever launched, and the second U.S. satellite, Vanguard 1.
Thanks to Kirk for reminding me that Vanguard 1 was not the first U.S. satellite, and was actually the fourth launched, not the second. All I needed to do to avoid the error was read my own Chronological Encyclopedia, but I was too lazy to do that, even though it is on my desk. Duh.
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Link here. It also happens to have been the fourth ever launched, and the second U.S. satellite, Vanguard 1.
Thanks to Kirk for reminding me that Vanguard 1 was not the first U.S. satellite, and was actually the fourth launched, not the second. All I needed to do to avoid the error was read my own Chronological Encyclopedia, but I was too lazy to do that, even though it is on my desk. Duh.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Cool.
As a kid, I remember watching ECHO cross the sky.
Homework assignment:
Do the reliability calls on that baby
I don’t understand the context of “second ever launched, and the first U.S. satellite.”
1957-10-04 Sputnik 1 — reentered 1958-01-04 (last contact 1957-10-26)
1957-11-03 Sputnik 2 (with Laika) — reentered 1958-04-14 (last contact 1957-11-10)
1958-01-31 Explorer 1 — reentered 1970-03-31 (last contact 1958-05-23)
1958-03-17 Vanguard 1(1st solar powered satellite) — reentry est. 2198 (last contact 1964-05)
So Vanguard 1 is the fourth ever successfully launched satellite, and the second U.S. satellite.
Kirk: Whoops. A bit of laziness on my part produced this error. All I had to do was pull out my own copy of my Chronological Encyclopedia to find out that Vanguard 1 was #4. I did not.
The post now is fixed.
Using Heavens Above or some other software (I use Skymap Lite) for satellite observing, I have been able to see both Vanguard 1 and 2 using an 11′ telescope. Despite its size, it is about 11th magnitude and can be seen surprisingly easily. You just have to be looking at the exact place at the exact time.
I believe that a couple of the early Pioneer series are still functioning, are in solar orbits and are contacted occasionally. These are not quite as old but were launched in the 1960’s IIRC