Launch Failure
Liftoff Time (GMT)
07:33:00
Wednesday February 5, 1958
Watch Replay
Official Livestream
Loss of control 57 seconds after launch.
Vanguard TV3BU was the third U.S. attempt to launch a satellite into orbit around the Earth. It was a small satellite designed to test the launch capabilities of a three-stage launch vehicle and study the effects of the environment on a satellite and its systems in Earth orbit. It also was to be used to obtain geodetic measurements through orbit analysis.
Medium Earth Orbit
1 Payload
2 kilograms
2nd
Mission
1st
Mission of 1958
2nd
Orbital launch attempt