SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -Vanguard 1 was the first satellite to have solar electric power. Although communications with the satellite were lost in 1964, it remains the oldest human-made object still in orbit, together with the upper stage of its launch vehicle.

Detailed explanation-2: -Instead, the Sputnik crisis caused by the surprise launch of Sputnik 1 led the U.S., after the failure of Vanguard TV-3, to quickly orbit the Explorer 1 satellite using a Juno I rocket, making Vanguard 1 the second successful U.S. orbital launch.

Detailed explanation-3: -Vanguard 1 launched on 17 March 1958 at 12:15:41 UT from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral Florida. At 12:26:21, the third stage of the launch vehicle injected Vanguard 1 into a 654 x 3969 km, 134.27 minute orbit inclined at 34.25 degrees.

Detailed explanation-4: -In 1958, the Vanguard I satellite used a tiny one-watt panel to power its radios. Later that year the Vanguard II, Explorer III and Sputnik-3 were all launched with PV technology on board.

Detailed explanation-5: -In August 1955 the Stewart Committee, having duly taken on the Pentagon’s desire for the IGY effort not to affect either the Air Force Atlas ICBM or Army Jupiter IRBM programs, selected the Navy’s Vanguard as the IGY satellite booster.

Detailed explanation-6: -The first solar panel in space was used in 1958, on the American satellite Vanguard 1. It had six solar panels which each had an area of about five centimetres squared. The cells produced about one Watt of energy and were 10% efficient.