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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.
Mar 18, 2015 · Learn about the first U.S. satellite launched in 1958, which carried science instruments and discovered the Van Allen radiation belts. Explorer 1 orbited Earth for 58,000 times before burning up in 1970.
Jul 25, 2023 · Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States on January 31, 1958, as part of the International Geophysical Year. Learn about the mission, the science, the launch, the celebration, and the legacy of this historic event.
Jan 29, 2018 · Explorer 1: The First U.S. Science Robot. On Jan. 31, 1958, the United States sent Explorer 1, its first satellite, into space. The spacecraft was small enough to be held triumphantly overhead. It orbited Earth from as far as 1,594 miles (2,565 km) above, and made the first U.S. scientific discovery in space. 2. Why It’s Important.
Explorer 1 was a historic mission that put the U.S. into the Space Race with the Soviet Union in 1958. It carried a cosmic-ray detector designed by James Van Allen, who discovered the Van Allen radiation belts around Earth.
Explorer 1: Celebrating 60 Years in Space. Less than a lifetime ago, humankind just barely left the limits of Earth's atmosphere.
Explorer 1 was launched on January 31, 1958, in response to the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1. It carried a cosmic ray detector that revealed the Van Allen belts around Earth.
