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 through 2017.

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, …

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 using a …

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 intense. Explorer 1 was the …

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 principal investigator of …

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 with the …

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 1 followed a …

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, Explorer 1's …