Talk:Vanguard 2

pictures
Any published examples of the output from the optical scanners? 147.145.40.43 21:27, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

Atmospheric drag speeds up spacecraft
Atmospheric drag does not cause spacecraft to "lag" expected positions (as stated), rather they lead, as they lose altitude and orbit faster. I do not have a reference for this specific to Vanguard 2, but the principle is universally known to astro-dynamicists and physicists. The Wikipedia articles on orbits and orbital mechanics must explain it.

On a very short time scale (much less than one orbit), the spacecraft is indeed slowed, but is immediately shifted into a slightly lower orbit, quickly causing it to speed up. As a result, it moved progressively ahead of its expected, unperturbed. orbital positions, both in angle and in distance. Wwheaton (talk) 01:40, 17 February 2016 (UTC)

First photo
The first photo of earth from a satellite was by Explorer 6, not Vanguard 2. See Satellite imagery. Vanguard 2 was incapable of imaging. It had two light sensors that just provided an intensity reading, no pixels. The source cited for "first photo" does not say that Vanguard 2 took the first satellite photo of earth. Kendall-K1 (talk) 15:56, 17 February 2016 (UTC)

External links modified (January 2018)
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Broken infobox (March 2022)
Hi all, infobox is currently broken. I've no idea how to fix it unfortunately, I've looked over it a few times but I can't see anything obvious. Cheers. 27.33.21.122 (talk) — Preceding undated comment added 14:39, 8 March 2022 (UTC)