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The sign accompanying the satellite. It reads

Vanguard 1 Satellite

Vanguard 1 reached orbit on March 17, 1958, after an initial launch failure the previous December. It was the second successful U.S. satellite, coming six weeks after the launch of the U.S. Army's Explorer I and five months after the Soviet Union's Sputnik I. This flight backup was presented to former Vanguard project director Dr. John P. Hagen.

Gift of John P. Hagen

A19761019000