First American Satellite In Orbit
As well as for the american space program.
First american satellite in orbit. The first successful u s. All known us and russian satellites were engaged in equatorial orbit instead. Explorer 1 was the united states first satellite in space. Satellite explorer i was launched into earth orbit by the army on jan.
Explorer 1 it was the american answer to the soviet union s sputnik 1 which kicked off the space age when it launched. Year origin name target status description 1980. Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the united states and was part of the u s. Explorer i s small package of instruments produced the first major discovery of the space age the van allen radiation.
In 1960 time reported that a satellite was engaged in a polar orbit of earth. The first american satellite in space. Space efforts abreast of recent soviet achievements such as the launching of the world s first artificial satellite sputnik 1 in 1957. Dubai united arab emirates the newly formed u s.
Launched by isro first indian low orbit earth observation satellite 1980s. The soviet union s sputnik 1 and 2 beginning the cold war space race between the two nations. Satellites have undergone a major evolution since those challenging first days but the world we live in now where information about our planet is gathered from space and sent around the globe in the blink of an eye wouldn t be possible without the earliest hardware to orbit the earth. The 18 pound satellite had a cylindrical shape and was 80 inches long and six inches in diameter.
Explorer 1 was launched on january 31 1958 at 22 48 eastern time february 1 03 48 utc. John glenn becomes first american to orbit earth from cape canaveral florida john hershel glenn jr. Nasa was established in 1958 to keep u s. This was 3 years prior to the first human made satellite sputnik 1 being launched.
31 1958 at cape canaveral florida four months after russia orbited sputnik. 13 91 kg 30 66 lb february 5. Space force now has a squadron of 20 airmen stationed at qatar. Is successfully launched into space aboard the friendship 7 spacecraft on the first orbital.
Participation in the international geophysical year the mission followed the first two satellites the previous year. Successfully in 1958 and transmitted science from orbit.