MISSION NAME
Vanguard II
Status
Success
DATE
17 FEB 1959
LAUNCH PROVIDER
![US Navy + -img](https://apiv2.spacerealm.live/static/images/company-logo/usn/logo.png)
US Navy
Launch Pad
Launch Complex 18A
Description
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.
![Vanguard Vanguard](https://spacelaunchnow-prod-east.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/media/images/vanguard_1_on_p_image_20240411114304.jpeg)
Vanguard
Rocket Description
The Vanguard rocket was intended to be the first launch vehicle the United States would use to place a satellite into orbit. Instead, the Sputnik crisis caused by the surprise launch of Sputnik 1 led the U.S., after the failure of Vanguard TV3, to quickly orbit the Explorer 1 satellite using a Juno I rocket, making Vanguard I the second successful U.S. orbital launch.