This authoritative, illustrated history chronicles the Vanguard project, which placed one of the United States' earliest successful man-made satellites into Earth orbit. In addition to analysis of the program's scientific and technical challenges, it surveys the influence of the launchings of the first Russian Sputniks and Vanguard's impact on subsequent space missions. Table of Contents Foreword List of Illustrations Preface Introduction Ch. 1: Background of Space Exploration Ch. 2: Seeking Government Support for a Satellite Program Ch. 3: Selecting a Satellite Plan Ch. 4: Getting the Launch Program Started Ch. 5: Battle over Vehicle Specifications Ch. 6: Role of NAS and TPESP, 1955–1956 Ch. 7: Onboard Experiments and Instrumentation Ch. 8: Creating a Home on the Range Ch. 9: The Tracking Systems Ch. 10: Early Test Firings Ch. 11: From Sputnik I to TV-3 Ch. 12: Success—and After Ch. 13: The National Academy of Sciences and the Scientific Harvest, 1957–1959 Ch. 14: The Final Accounting Notes Selected Bibliography Appendixes 1. Vanguard Flight Summary 2. Explorer Flight Summary 3. IGY Satellite Launches Index