VANGUARD (1956-1959) - Lot 1

VANGUARD (1956-1959) Photographic print of the very first "Grapefruit", the Vanguard TV3 satellite. On the ground after its rocket exploded and collapsed, the engine having stopped after 2 seconds, December 6, 1957 20 x 25 cm Vanguard is a small American launcher developed by NRL, the Naval Research Laboratory, with the aim of placing the first artificial satellite into orbit. But after 9 failures out of 12 launches between 1956 and 1959, the Juno 1 launcher was entrusted with the launch of the first satellite into orbit, Explorer 1, launched on February 1, 1958, without calling into question the Vanguard program. On March 17, 1958, Vanguard was finally successful, with Vanguard 1 becoming the 2nd American satellite in orbit. These photos come from the archives of the public relations department of the Baltimore-based Martin company (later Martin-Marietta, then Lockheed-Martin), and are Martin originals.