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On Saint Patrick's Day in 1958, the U.S. Navy launched Vanguard 1, the first solar-powered satellite and the oldest artificial satellite currently orbiting the Earth.

The main purpose of this mission was to test a new three-stage rocket. Vanguard 1 was the fourth satellite ever launched into space (following Sputniks 1 and 2 and Explorer 1). It looks a lot like a miniature version of Sputnik. Vanguard 1 was tiny compared to the satellites that came before it. It's about the size of a grapefruit and weighs only 3 pounds. Solar technology allowed the satellite to transmit signals to Earth for 7 years, while battery-powered satellites couldn't even last a month. Scientists think the satellite will deorbit by the year 2198 after spending 240 years in space.

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Transcript
00:00On this day, in space.
00:04On St. Patrick's Day in 1958, the U.S. Navy launched Vanguard 1, the first solar-powered
00:08satellite and the oldest artificial satellite currently orbiting the Earth.
00:12The main purpose of this mission was to test a new three-stage rocket.
00:16Vanguard 1 was the fourth satellite ever launched into space, following Sputniks 1 and 2 and
00:20Explorer 1.
00:21It looks a lot like a miniature version of Sputnik.
00:24Vanguard 1 was tiny compared to the satellites that came before it.
00:27It's about the size of a grapefruit and weighs only 3 pounds.
00:31Solar technology allowed the satellite to transmit signals to Earth for 7 years, while
00:35battery-powered satellites couldn't even last a month.
00:38Scientists think the satellite will deorbit by the year 2198 after spending 240 years
00:43in space.
00:44And that's what happened on this day in space.

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