This representation by NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio shows the orbits of NASA-related near-Earth science missions from the launch of the first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958 …

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 …

Although the Russians had already put two Sputnik satellites into Earth orbit before the Explorer 1 launch, Explorer 1 still marked an important “first” for humankind: it carried the first scientific …

Though scientists learned from Sputnik’s orbits, Explorer 1 made the first scientific discovery from space. Designed to study cosmic rays, it detected areas of intense radiation around the Earth …

Jul 25, 2023 · The competition to put a satellite into orbit ― a goal of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), which ran from July 1, 1957 to Dec. 31, 1958 ― was particularly …

Feb 9, 2025 · Explorer 1 was the first spacecraft to successfully detect the durably trapped radiation in the Earth's magnetosphere, dubbed the Van Allen Radiation Belt (after the …

On January 31, 1958, the United States launched its first satellite, known as Explorer 1, into orbit atop a modified Jupiter-C rocket. In so doing, it demonstrated that it was competitive in space …

Explorer 1 was the first successful U.S. satellite. It was launched Jan. 31, 1958 at 10:48 p.m. (EST) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, after two days of launch delays due to high winds.

Mar 18, 2015 · Explorer 1 was the first U.S. satellite and the first satellite to carry science instruments. The satellite was launched on Jan. 31, 1958, from Cape Canaveral, Fla.. Explorer …

Explorer 1 became the first successfully launched satellite by the United States when it was sent to space on January 31, 1958. A quick response to the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik 1, …