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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (191140)	7/6/2006 7:39:38 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Maybe it was what it seems. We certainly didn't think the Russians caused this one. Quite spectacular on TV at the time. Sort of collapsed on itself. Heartbreaking. And humiliating in the global game going on between us and Russia... At least six Vanguard rockets had been scheduled for test launches prior to what would have been the first U.S. attempt to launch a satellite. Since the IGY extended through the end of 1958 and a firm decision in support of Vanguard was made in 1955, it was believed that there was plenty of time for Vanguard to prove itself before attempting the launch of a satellite. However, development problems with Vanguard surfaced quickly, and the first test launch did not occur until December 8, 1956. A second test launch was conducted on May 1, 1957. Before even a third Vanguard test launch could occur, the Soviet Union shocked the world with their launch of the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, on October 4, 1957. The third Vanguard test launch was conducted about three weeks later on October 23, 1957. To counter a remarkable and unexpected Soviet achievement, which was followed by their launch of Sputnik II on November 3, 1957 a bold decision was made to attempt a satellite launch aboard the next available Vanguard rocket, a "Test Vehicle" called TV-3. This launch would occur prior to the conclusion of the test series originally intended to validate the Vanguard rocket. TV-3 would be the first Vanguard rocket to fly with powered upper stages, and the success of the mission was doubtful. Vanguard TV-3, carrying a tiny 3.25-pound, 6.4-inch diameter spherical tracking satellite made of aluminum, exploded on Cape Canaveral Launch Pad 18A just seconds after it was launched on December 6, 1957. The first U.S. attempt to launch a satellite had failed dramatically before the eyes of the world. Subsequent troubleshooting of the Vanguard rocket allowed the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) to launch the first U.S. satellite, Explorer I, aboard a four-stage version of the Redstone missile on January 31, 1958. The effort allowed the initially rejected Redstone-based Project Orbiter to be vindicated. spaceline.org