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Vanguard SLV-6, also called Vanguard Satellite Launch Vehicle Six hoped to be the third successful flight of the American Vanguard rocket following successful Vanguard 2 satellite on rocket Vanguard SLV-4. Vanguard SLV-5 launched on June 22, 1959 at 20:16 GMT. It was launched from Launch Complex 18A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket was unsuccessful in its attempt to place an unnamed satellite into earth orbit. There was a defective second stage pressure valve, thus the satellite failed to achieve orbit. The underlying cause of the error is unknown. This was a set back in the space race between the USA and Soviet Union.
The goal was to put to satellites in to orbit: Vanguard 3b satellite, a magnetometer to map the earth's magnetic field and 30 in (760 mm) round inflatable sphere for optical tracking. Vanguard SLV-5 only reached an altitude of 140 km (87 mi), the goal was 3,840 km (2,390 mi) to orbit.
Vanguard 3 on a Vanguard SLV-7 rocket launched on September 18, 1959 was the third successful Vanguard satellite and the last Vanguard rocket.