posted 04-27-2018 01:45 PM            

The International Geophysical Year (IGY) — actually year and a half — ran from July 1957 to December 1958. The first satellites were launched during the IGY and NASA was formed. Ten years ago, there were highly publicized commemorations of the early satellite launches. In the past year, there have been more muted 60th anniversaries of these early space successes.

The Naval Research Laboratory (NBL) held a celebration of the Vanguard 1, the fourth satellite and the oldest one still in orbit, on March 14. Six Vanguardians were there and I spoke with several of them. They were bright and alert. In addition, children and grandchildren of the NRL Project Vanguard participants were present.