1958: America’s second satellite, Vanguard 1, is launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral. It operates on solar-powered batteries and has an extremely long life expectancy. Data returned from the satellite proves that the earth has a slight ‘pear-shape.’ Vanguard 1 was the first satellite to have solar electric power. Although communications with the satellite were lost in 1964, it remains the oldest human-made object still in orbit, together with the upper stage of its launch vehicle. It is not forecast to re-enter the atmosphere until 2198.
