How many Sputniks are there?

The Sputnik Program was a series of five space missions launched by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s. There are a variety of other classes of Soviet spacecraft that are referred to as “Sputniks” by Americans, however only the first five were part of the Soviet Sputnik Program.

Is Explorer 3 still in orbit?

Explorer 3 decayed from orbit on 27 June 1958, after 93 days of operation. A replica of the spacecraft is currently located in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Milestones of Flight Gallery.

How is Vanguard still in orbit?

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….Vanguard 1.

Mission type	Earth science
Operator	Naval Research Laboratory
Harvard designation	1958-Beta 2
COSPAR ID	1958-002B
Spacecraft properties

Was there a Sputnik 4?

Korabl-Sputnik 4 was launched at 06:29:00 UTC on 9 March 1961, atop a Vostok-K carrier rocket flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. It was successfully placed into low Earth orbit.

What is the oldest spacecraft still in space?

It is the oldest satellite still orbiting the Earth.

• Mission Profile. Vanguard 1 launched on 17 March 1958 at 12:15:41 UT from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral Florida.
• Spacecraft and Subsystems. The spacecraft was a 1.46-kg aluminum sphere 16.5 cm in diameter.
• Launch Vehicle.

What was the third satellite?

Sputnik 3 was the only Soviet satellite launched in 1958. Like its American counterpart, Vanguard 1, Sputnik 3 made it into orbit during the International Geophysical Year….Sputnik 3.

Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	1,327 kilograms (2,926 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	15 May 1958, 07:12:00 UTC
Rocket	Sputnik 8A91