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VANGUARD 3, 20

Orbit data source: Space-Track

VANGUARD 3, 20 is a payload satellite owned by GSFC (US) in LEO that was launched on Fri, 18 Sep 1959 UTC via a VANGUARD launch vehicle from the Air Force Eastern Test Range (AFETR). Payload-class satellites include a variety of spacecraft equipped with specific instruments for various scientific and technological missions. These include communications satellites like Starlink; space stations such as the ISS; scientific satellites like the Hubble; Earth observation satellites from companies like Planet Labs, Umbra, and HawkEye 360; GPS; miniature CubeSats for education and research; and military/defense satellites.

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Identifier
20, 1959-007A
Orbit
LEO
Last TLE update
7 hours ago
Origin
Manufacturer
NRL
Mission
Civil Science
Bus & Motor
NRL 20", Unknown motor
Mass
47 kg wet, 23 kg dry
Launch date (UTC)
1959-09-18 (66 years ago)
Launch vehicle
VANGUARD
Launch site
Air Force Eastern Test Range (AFETR)
Object type
Payload
Rocket body
Debris
Shape & HBR
Sphere + Cyl, 2.5 m
Radar Cross Section
1.104 m², Medium (>0.1 m² and < 1m²)

Expand to show TLE details & history

TLE from 7 hours ago
0 VANGUARD 3
1 00020U 59007A   25183.90375163  .00000861  00000-0  34574-3 0  9997
2 00020  33.3469  83.5720 1642085 342.3257  12.6157 11.60725076443995
Epoch: 2025-07-02T21:41Z
TLE epoch observation values (Epoch: 2025-07-02T21:41:24.14Z)
Latitude
-0.00006°
Longitude
-162.95684°
Altitude
554.258 km
Speed
8.164 km/s
True Right ascension
05h 34m 17s
True Declination
0° 00' 00"
Sunlit
Object was in daylight at epoch
Visualization orbit readout
Latitude
17.33382°
Longitude
-12.2007°
Altitude
3,134.645 km
Speed
5.955 km/s
Apparent Right ascension
14h 40m 24s
Apparent Declination
-15° 41' 51"
Sunlit
Object is in daylight
Visualization observer readout
Local Sidereal Time
16:28:50
Azimuth
210.078° SW
Elevation
28.925°
Doppler factor
1
Orbital elements
Apogee altitude
3,218.236 km
Perigee altitude
511.15 km
Semi-major axis
8,242.83 km
Eccentricity
0.16421
Inclination
33.3469°
RAAN
83.572°
Arg. of periapsis
342.3257°
True anomaly
Unknown
Mean anomaly
12.6157°
Eccentric anomaly
Unknown
Mean motion
2.9002 °/min
Orbital period
124.13 mins
BSTAR
0.00034574
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Other satellites on launch #7 in the year 1959 (1959-09-18 UTC)

VANGUARD 3 Visibility forecast

Observer location: undefined°, undefined°

Span
Click to sort rows by Start time (UTC) header in descending order
Start Az.
Max El. time (UTC)
Max El. Az.
Max El.
End time (UTC)
End Az.
13 mins2025-07-03 04:43:26.322Z210.004° SW2025-07-03 04:43:26.322Z210.004° SW25.739°2025-07-03 04:56:26.322Z167.211° S
13 mins2025-07-03 20:36:26.322Z198.839° SSW2025-07-03 20:40:26.322Z151.314° SSE27.169°2025-07-03 20:49:26.322Z90.796° ESE
20 mins2025-07-03 22:45:26.322Z244.098° WSW2025-07-03 22:52:26.322Z161.662° S40.861°2025-07-03 23:05:26.322Z96.453° ESE
26 mins2025-07-04 00:56:26.322Z262.612° W2025-07-04 01:05:26.322Z189.687° SSW40.861°2025-07-04 01:22:26.322Z117.733° SE
28 mins2025-07-04 03:08:26.322Z265.395° W2025-07-04 03:19:26.322Z209.278° SW32.67°2025-07-04 03:36:26.322Z147.967° SSE
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