Vanguard still in space race 50 years on

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:15 PM EDT

Article Source: The Times

science, satellite, space-program, vanguard, space-race, kruschev

An experimental satellite launched in the first months of the space race is about to celebrate 50 years in orbit. Vanguard I is the oldest surviving man-made satellite in space and was the first to provide measurements showing the Earth is slightly pear-shaped instead of perfectly round. When the 50th anniversary of the US satellite's launch on March 17, 1958, arrives on Monday it will have made more than 196,990 Earth orbits.

Published to:

Synthesis's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Historical Vine, New Horizons, Newsvine Science, Science And Technology
Regions: none

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

5.0

{"commentId":1582167,"authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

Synthesis

It's amazing to think about how far space science has come in 50 years, which doesn't seem like all that long a time from where I'm sitting...

{"commentId":1582167,"threadId":"235073","contentId":"1368997","authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

#1 - Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:16 PM EDT

{"commentId":1582297,"authorDomain":"eddiefrench"}

Eddie French

What a blast from the past Synthesis!
I was three years old when this thing switched on for the first time.
Thanks, great seed.

{"commentId":1582297,"threadId":"235073","contentId":"1368997","authorDomain":"eddiefrench"}

2 votes

#2 - Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:54 PM EDT

{"commentId":1582362,"authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

Synthesis

Thanks, Eddie...I was even a bit younger yet...but these early satellites, and the subsequent first manned space missions, coloured my entire childhood, and are arguably still reflected in my tastes and choices today.

{"commentId":1582362,"threadId":"235073","contentId":"1368997","authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:21 PM EDT

{"commentId":1582363,"authorDomain":"eddiefrench"}

Eddie French

Synthesis,
I could have written that last comment about myself.
(Except the bit about the younger you)

{"commentId":1582363,"threadId":"235073","contentId":"1368997","authorDomain":"eddiefrench"}

2 votes

#2.2 - Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":1582377,"authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

Synthesis

I've heard a lot of other people say the same thing. Those who think Barack Obama doesn't have enough depth beyond his ability to inspire should pay attention to the power of dreams.

(I'm not saying this as an Obama partisan. Heck, I'm Canadian, so I can't even vote for him. But he does have a kind of Kennedyesque charisma, and I give JFK a lot of credit for launching the noble efforts the U.S. put forth in the 60s. It had a profound impact on a lot of us...)

{"commentId":1582377,"threadId":"235073","contentId":"1368997","authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

1 vote

#2.3 - Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:28 PM EDT

{"commentId":1582397,"authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

Synthesis

When I was a kid, the most amazing toy I ever got for Christmas was the USAF Gemini X-5, a so-called 'non-fall' rocket from a Japanese company called Masudaya that specialized in tin toys.

This discussion prompted me to look it up on google, and I found a video of it. (God bless YouTube).

I haven't seen this toy in operation for about 40 years...and it's kind of bringing back some memories...

{"commentId":1582397,"threadId":"235073","contentId":"1368997","authorDomain":"PrimarySources"}

#2.4 - Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:37 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"235073","isPrivate":false}

Clever people 'are easier to con' - Times Online	The Times	Mon Mar 17	1
President Robert Mugabe 'raises the dead' to secure electoral victory in Zimbabwe	The Times	Tue Mar 18	1
Madonna to release new album via mobile	The Times	Tue Mar 18	1
Hey, Facebook, just let go of me - Times Online	The Times	Mon Mar 17	3
Satellite turns 50 years old ... in orbit!	msnbc.com	Mon Mar 17	6

SYNTHESIS

Backyard

Vanguard still in space race 50 years on

Published to:

FUN STUFF:

COMPANY STUFF:

LEGAL STUFF: