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Interim Definitive Orbit for the Satellite 1959 Alpha Vanguard-II

A summary of certain position information indicating accuracies for the orbital arcs underlying the ephemeris is presented in table 1. The detailed ephemeris information is presented at the end of this report in the form of tables which give the latitude and longitude of the sub satellite point and the satellite height for each minute of time. The subsatellite point is defined here as the point on the earth's surface over which the satellite was determined to be at the indicated time. This form of presentation was recommended by the International Geophysical Year agencies concerned, for use in specifying the orbital positions of IGY satellites. Time is specified by giving in columns, the day, hour, and minute of Greenwich mean time.

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SATELLITE ORBITAL DATA

Satellite orbital data for explorer i, vii, viii, ix and vanguard ii and iii - orbital elements

EXPLORER VII SATELLITE

United States Space Explorations 1958

The film describes preparation and launch of five satellites and two space probes during 1958. On January 31, a Jupiter vehicle launched Explorer I into space. Data from this satellite was used to identify the van Allen radiation belts. On March 17, a Vanguard I rocket launched an Earth satellite with solar batteries. Data from the mission was used to determine that the Earth is slightly pear-shaped. On March 26, Explorer III was launched to further study the van Allen belts, micrometeoroid impacts, and internal and external temperatures. Explorer IV, launched on July 26, was intended to study radiation and temperature data. A lunar probe, ABLE I, was intended to measure radiation, magnetic fields of Earth and the Moon, density of micrometeoric matter, and internal temperatures. A four-stage rocket was used in the launch. However, a turbo-pump failed and the liquid oxygen pump stopped, resulting in a failed mission. On October 10, Pioneer I was launched by an ABLE vehicle. First and second stage velocity was less than desired and the probe did not leave Earth orbit. Attempts to attain escape velocity were unsuccessful. On December, a Jupiter boost vehicle was used to launch Juno II, with Pioneer III as the payload. Escape velocity was reached and Pioneer III left Earth's atmosphere. Failed launches, such as those of Vanguard boost vehicles and several Explorer satellites, also added to scientific knowledge.

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