Global Positioning System Reference
In-Depth Information
would include instrumentation but no satellite. Project Vanguard Report No. 9 ,
published nine months later, specifies October 31, 1957, as the first satellite
launch date, but over the following year, a variety of problems forced delays. 93
Project Vanguard Report No. 20 , published in September 1957, reveals the launch
date had slipped six months. 94 Offsetting the bad news is this optimistic note:
“As a result of a successful test of the third-stage rocket aboard tv-1, it has
become possible to revise the test program to provide complete Vanguard vehi-
cle configurations earlier in the program. The test program heretofore called
for a heavy instrumented nose cone on the third stage of tv-3; it is now planned
to replace this with one of the 6.44-inch 6-antenna satellite packages and make
tv-3 identical with tv- 4 .” 95
The first test launch, tv-0, was essentially a leftover Viking rocket whose
primary purpose was to check out the launch facilities and tracking system,
while tv-1 was a Viking rocket with a prototype of the new third-stage motor. 96
As stated earlier, tv-2 had a live first stage but dummy second and third stages,
so tv-3 marked the first test of all new stages together. According to the nrl's
Roger Easton, Air Force colonel Asa B. Gibbs, who worked with the Navy on
Vanguard, gets credit for suggesting that small satellites be placed on the test
vehicles. “If we are going to all this trouble, why don't we put a satellite up?”
Gibbs asked. 97 He proposed the change and got it approved—months before
Sputnik, rather than in response to it. Two additional test flights, using backup
rockets for tv- 3 and tv-4, were added to the launch plan. This created four
potential opportunities to put a smaller test satellite into orbit before attempt-
ing the full-size version, but Project Vanguard Report No. 20 assigns a “small
probability” to achieving orbit and appears more focused on getting a good
check of the Minitrack tracking system. 98
It would be Sputnik, however, that provided the acid test for Minitrack. Mar-
tin Votaw recalled working long hours on paid overtime from the beginning
of the Vanguard program—a pace dictated by the igy schedule rather than
competition with the Soviets. On the Wednesday before Sputnik's launch, the
over-budget program circulated a memo barring additional overtime after that
workweek ended. Votaw went home Friday looking forward to some rest and
was having dinner when Easton called.
“They launched Sputnik,” Easton said.
“Good, now we know it can be done,” Votaw replied.
“You don't understand. We've got to track it.”
“Can I eat supper first?”
 
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