Taylor M Potter

Uncrewed launch-system testVanguard TV-0Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: Vanguard Minitrack transmitter and flight instrumentation
Launch configuration: Single-stage Viking 13 redesignated TV-0
Primary objective: Qualify telemetry, launch-complex operations, range safety, tracking, and Minitrack systems before multi-stage Vanguard flights.

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Uncrewed stage-development testVanguard TV-1Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: Instrumented nose cone
Launch configuration: Two-stage Viking 14 with a prototype solid-propellant Vanguard third stage
Primary objective: Flight-test spinup, separation, ignition, propulsion, trajectory, handling, and instrumentation for the prototype solid upper stage.

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Uncrewed launch-system testVanguard TV-2Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: Flight instrumentation, C-band beacon, and inert upper stages
Launch configuration: Live first stage with simulated inert second and third stages
Primary objective: Evaluate first-stage propulsion, upper-stage separation hardware, spinup equipment, structural behavior, radar tracking, and ground procedures.

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Uncrewed satellite launch attemptVanguard TV-3BUMission destination

Scientific or test payload: Vanguard 1A backup satellite
Launch configuration: Three-stage Vanguard test vehicle identical to TV-3
Primary objective: Place the minimum Vanguard satellite into orbit while completing the first full flight of the three-stage launch system.

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Uncrewed radiation and micrometeoroid satellite launch attemptExplorer 2Mission destination

Spacecraft: Explorer 2
Launch vehicle: Juno I
Scientific payload: 18.5-pound cosmic-ray and micrometeoroid satellite

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Geodetic and space-environment research satelliteVanguard 1Elliptical Earth orbit

Radio systems: Battery-powered 108 MHz transmitter and solar-powered 108.03 MHz transmitter
Scientific method: Precision radio and optical orbital tracking
Destination: Earth orbit

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Uncrewed radiation and micrometeoroid research satelliteExplorer 3Mission destination

Spacecraft: Explorer 3
Launch vehicle: Juno I
Scientific payload: Cosmic-ray and micrometeorite satellite with an onboard tape recorder

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Uncrewed scientific satellite launch attemptVanguard TV-5Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 20-inch X-ray and environmental satellite
Launch configuration: Final heavily instrumented Vanguard test vehicle
Primary objective: Orbit a fully instrumented satellite for solar X-ray and space-environment measurements and verify the complete launch vehicle.

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Uncrewed scientific satellite launch attemptVanguard SLV-1Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 20-inch Lyman-alpha satellite
Launch configuration: Three-stage production Vanguard SLV
Primary objective: Orbit a Lyman-alpha and space-environment satellite using the first production Vanguard launch vehicle.

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Uncrewed scientific satellite launch attemptVanguard SLV-2Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 20-inch X-ray and environmental satellite
Launch configuration: Three-stage production Vanguard SLV
Primary objective: Orbit a solar X-ray and space-environment satellite using the production Vanguard launcher.

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Uncrewed radiation research satelliteExplorer 4Mission destination

Spacecraft: Explorer 4
Launch vehicle: Juno I
Scientific payload: 25.8-pound radiation satellite with Geiger-Mueller and scintillation counters

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Uncrewed radiation satellite launch attemptExplorer 5Mission destination

Spacecraft: Explorer 5
Launch vehicle: Juno I
Scientific payload: Duplicate of the Explorer 4 radiation satellite

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Uncrewed weather-satellite launch attemptVanguard SLV-3Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 20-inch cloud-cover satellite
Launch configuration: Three-stage production Vanguard SLV
Primary objective: Orbit a cloud-cover satellite to study global cloud distribution, cloud motion, and Earth's energy budget.

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Uncrewed atmospheric-density and radar-target satellite launch attemptBeacon 1Mission destination

Spacecraft: Beacon 1
Launch vehicle: Juno I
Scientific payload: 9.26-pound balloon designed to inflate to 12 feet in diameter

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Uncrewed weather and Earth-science satelliteVanguard 2Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 23.7-pound Vanguard 2 cloud-cover satellite
Launch configuration: Vanguard SLV-4 three-stage launch vehicle
Primary objective: Measure global cloud-cover distribution and movement while demonstrating the improved production Vanguard launcher.

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Uncrewed scientific satellite launch attemptVanguard SLV-5Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 13-inch magnetometer satellite and 30-inch expandable sphere
Launch configuration: Three-stage production Vanguard SLV
Primary objective: Investigate Earth's magnetic field and upper-atmosphere density with a magnetometer satellite and expandable tracking sphere.

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Uncrewed Earth-radiation satellite launch attemptVanguard SLV-6Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 20-inch radiation-balance satellite
Launch configuration: Three-stage production Vanguard SLV with roll-programmed high-inclination trajectory
Primary objective: Measure incoming solar radiation, reflected Earth radiation, and longwave emission from Earth and its atmosphere in a high-inclination orbit.

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Uncrewed Earth-science satellite launch attemptExplorer S-1Mission destination

Spacecraft: Explorer S-1
Launch vehicle: Juno II
Scientific payload: 91.5-pound multiple-experiment Earth-science satellite

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Uncrewed magnetospheric, solar, and Earth-imaging satelliteExplorer 6Mission destination

Spacecraft: Explorer 6
Launch vehicle: Thor-Able III
Scientific payload: Paddlewheel Earth and space-science satellite with a scanning imager

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Uncrewed atmospheric-density and radar-target satellite launch attemptBeacon 2Mission destination

Spacecraft: Beacon 2
Launch vehicle: Juno II
Scientific payload: Duplicate 12-foot inflatable radar and atmospheric-density sphere

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Uncrewed space-environment and geophysics satelliteVanguard 3Mission destination

Scientific or test payload: 52.25-pound magnetometer, X-ray, and environmental satellite
Launch configuration: Converted TV-4BU with an Allegany Ballistics Laboratory X248 A2 third stage
Primary objective: Measure Earth's magnetic field, solar X-rays, micrometeoroids, and the space environment while completing the Vanguard flight program.

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Uncrewed Earth-radiation and space-environment satelliteExplorer 7Mission destination

Spacecraft: Explorer 7
Launch vehicle: Juno II
Scientific payload: 91.5-pound multiple-experiment Earth and space-science satellite

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AstronautAtlas

International Geophysical Year

International Geophysical Year science and payloads

International Geophysical Year

International Geophysical Year science and payloads