File:Vanguard - Smithsonian Air and Space Museum - 2012-05-15 (7276435040).jpg

Looking up the body of a Vanguard rocket in the Space Hall at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

In 1955, the United States announced that it would put the first artificial satellite into orbit in time for the start of the International Geophysical Year in June 1957. But with no civilian space program, the U.S. had only three options for a rocket: the Atlas ICBM (inter-continental ballistic missile); the Redstone intermediate-range ICBM; and a U.S. Navy proposal to put the Viking sounding rocket on steroids. (A sounding rocket is a rocket designed to carry instruments high into the atmosphere, but not reach outer space.)

With the military unwilling to part with any Atlases or Redstones, the Viking project -- now named Project Vanguard -- became the rocket of choice.

Design work began in August 1955 under the auspices of the Glenn Martin Company. Vanguard would have three stages: A first stage derived from the Viking rocket motor, a second stage based on the Aerobee sounding rocket motor, and a brand-new solid-fuel third stage rocket motor designed by the Grand Central Rocket Company. Vanguard had no steering fins or exhaust vanes to control it, and instead was steered by moving the exhaust nozzles. The second stage housed an inertial guidance system. The third stage was spun on a turn-table before it separated from the second stage to impart stability to it. This would allow the satellite to be spun as well, so it would be stable when released.

Sadly, the Vanguard never worked. It only launched 3 satellites out of 11 tries. The first American satellite was Explorer 1, which launched on January 23, 1958, aboard a Juno-I rocket (the civilian name for a Jupiter-C rocket). Vanguard's first successful launch did not occur until March 17, 1958.