In 1957, Vanguard TV3 rose about 4 feet before its rocket exploded; the 3-pound satellite was thrown clear, recovered, and now sits in the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum

In 1957, an American satellite launch ended in disaster when the rocket exploded on the launchpad. The salvaged satellite ultimately became a museum exhibit. This setback propelled the establishment of NASA, leading to a successful subsequent launch. Vanguard 1 later revealed that Earth is not a perfect sphere and continues to be the oldest human-made satellite in orbit today.