Explorer 1 Satellite 1958

Explorer 1 was the first of the long running explorer program.

Explorer 1 satellite 1958.

Those satellites were launched by an early version of the soviet r 7 rocket the basis of the ussr s early icbms and definitely military as well as roughly 40 times. Explorer 1 was the first successful u s. Est from cape canaveral florida after two days of launch delays due to high winds. Explorer i officially known as satellite 1958 alpha was the first united states earth satellite and was sent aloft as part of the united states program for the international geophysical year 1957 1958.

Get the latest updates on nasa missions watch nasa tv live and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind. The final flight of the juno 1 booster the satellite beacon 1 also failed. It inspired an entire generation of young men and women in the united. Four follow up satellites of the explorer series were launched by the juno 1 rocket in 1958 of these explorer 3 and 4 were successful while explorers 2 and 5 failed to reach orbit.

On the occasion of explorer 1 s fiery reentry into earth s atmosphere university of iowa physicist james van allen who had designed the science instruments on board said of the pioneering satellite. Click on image to see enlarged version. With the launch of sputnik 1 and 2 the previous concern the right of satellite overflight had become moot. The satellite remained aloft for more than a decade before re entering earth s atmosphere on march 31 1970.

Explorer 1 sent data back to earth for four months ceasing communications on may 23 1958. Explorer 1 became the first successfully launched satellite by the united states when it was sent to space on january 31 1958. The first united states satellite and space launch vehicle. Explorer 1 nasa.

On january 31 1958 the u s. The jupiter c launch rocket was built at the army ballistic missile agency in huntsville alabama under the direction of wernher von braun. Explorer 1 s last transmission was received may 23 1958 although it remained in orbit until march 31 1970. 31 1958 at 10 48 p m.

It was launched jan.