Vanguard (20in Radiation Balance)

 

Vanguard Radiation Balance [NASA]

The Vanguard Radiation Ballance satellite was a magnesium alloy sphere (20 inches in diameter) intended to measure the solar-Earth heating process which generates weather.

A faulty second stage pressure valve of the Vanguard launch vehicle caused a mission failure.

Nation: USA
Type / Application: Science
Operator: NASA
Contractors: Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
Equipment:
Configuration:
Propulsion: None
Power: Batteries
Lifetime:
Mass: 10 kg
Orbit:
Satellite Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Vanguard SLV6 (20in Radiation balance #1) 22.06.1959 CC LC-18A F Vanguard