Explorer 1

first satellite of the United States

AI overview

Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States, sent into orbit in 1958 during the Space Race with the Soviet Union. It mattered because it demonstrated American capability in space technology and carried instruments that made important scientific discoveries, including detecting the radiation belts around Earth.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Names: Explorer I, 1958 Alpha 1
Mission type: Earth science
Operator: JPL / ABMA
Harvard designation: 1958 Alpha 1
Cospar id: 1958-001A
Satcat number span no: 00004
Mission duration: 120 days (planned), 111 days (achieved)
Spacecraft: Explorer I
Spacecraft type: Science Explorer
Bus: Explorer 1
Manufacturer: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Launch mass: 13.97 kg (30.8 lb)
Dimensions: 203 cm (80 in) length, 15.2 cm (6.0 in) diameter
Power: 60 watts
Launch date: 1 February 1958, 03:47:56 GMT
Rocket: Juno I (RS-29)
Launch site: Atlantic Missile Range , LC-26A
Contractor: Army Ballistic Missile Agency

via Wikipedia infobox

~13 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States in 1958 and was part of the U.S. participation in the International Geophysical Year (IGY). The mission followed the first two satellites, both launched by the Soviet Union during the previous year, Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2. This began a Space Race during the Cold War between the two nations.

Explorer 1 was launched on 1 February 1958 at 03:47:56 GMT (or 31 January 1958 at 22:47:56 Eastern Time) atop the first Juno I booster from LC-26A at the Cape Canaveral Missile Test Center of the Atlantic Missile Range (AMR), in Florida. It was the first spacecraft to detect the Van Allen radiation belt, returning data until its batteries were exhausted after nearly four months. It remained in orbit until 1970.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Explorer 1” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.