Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Vanguard 1 microsatellite. Image credit: NASA

Reflect back decades ago to the heady Space Race rivalry between the former Soviet Union and America. For the entire world, it was the Sputnik moment, the orbiting of the first artificial satellite of Earth by the Soviets.

Sputnik 1’s liftoff on October 4, 1957 sparked worries, made all the more vexing by the embarrassing and humiliating failure later that year of America’s first satellite launch. The Navy’s Vanguard rocket went “kaputnik” as the booster toppled over and exploded.

An emotional rescue for America came via the first U.S. artificial satellite. Explorer 1 was boosted into space by the Army on January 31, 1958.

Nevertheless, despite setbacks, Vanguard 1 did reach orbit on March 17, 1958 as the second U.S. satellite.

Image credit: NRL

Still up there

And guess what? While Explorer 1 reentered Earth’s atmosphere in 1970, the Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Vanguard 1 microsatellite is still up there. It just celebrated 67 years of circuiting our planet.

Now there’s interest in recovering the tiny spacecraft and haul it back home from whence it came!

Go to my new Space.com story – “Vanguard 1 is the oldest satellite orbiting Earth. Scientists want to bring it home after 67 years” – at:

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/vanguard-1-is-the-oldest-satellite-orbiting-earth-scientists-want-to-bring-it-home-after-67-years

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