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Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Nation: USA. Agency: U.S. Navy.

Radiation, micrometeoroid data.

Typical orbit: 512 km x 3413 km at 33 degrees inclination.


Vanguard 3 Chronology
  • 1959 April 14 - Vanguard 3A - Program: Vanguard. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC18A. Launch Vehicle: Vanguard. FAILURE: Stage 2 damaged at separation. Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

  • 1959 April 14 - 30-inch Sphere - Program: Vanguard. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC18A. Launch Vehicle: Vanguard. FAILURE: Failure. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

  • 1959 June 22 - Vanguard 3B - Program: Vanguard. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC18A. Launch Vehicle: Vanguard. FAILURE: Stage 2 propulsion malfunction. Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Apogee: 140 km (80 mi).

  • 1959 September 18 - Vanguard 3 - Program: Vanguard. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC18A. Launch Vehicle: Vanguard. Mass: 23 kg (50 lb). Perigee: 512 km (318 mi). Apogee: 3,413 km (2,120 mi). Inclination: 33.40 deg. Period: 126.40 min.
    Radiation, micrometeoroid data. Third stage failed to separate from payload. The TV-4BU burned-out third stage was left attached to the payload since the fiberglas case did not adversely affect the experiments.


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