How did the Explorer 1 change the world?
Mission Highlights Explorer 1 makes its final transmission to Earth. Explorer 1 launches successfully into space, marking the beginning of U.S. space exploration. After more than 58,000 Earth orbits, Explorer 1 re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and was destroyed.
What was Explorer 1 and why is it important?
Explorer 1 was the first step in exploring Earth and beyond from space. Explorer 1’s last transmission was received May 21, 1958. The spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up on March 31, 1970, after 58,376 orbits. From 1958 on, more than 100 spacecraft would fall under the Explorer designation.
What did Explorer 1 accomplish?
Explorer 1’s main instrument was a cosmic ray detector designed by James Van Allen of the State University of Iowa. The experiment discovered evidence of radiation belts around Earth, now called Van Allen Belts, that marked the first scientific discovery in space.
What was the main discovery of the first American satellite in space?
Explorer 1
The United States’ first satellite, Explorer 1, is launched into orbit by a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. Explorer 1 confirmed existence of high-radiation bands above the Earth’s atmosphere.
What was most significant about Explorer I?
Explorer 1 was the United States’ first satellite in space. The 1958 launch of the satellite — twice the size of a basketball — was an important moment for the country, as the Space Race with the Soviet Union was just beginning.
What are satellites used for?
Satellites provide in-flight phone communications on airplanes, and are often the main conduit of voice communication for rural areas and areas where phone lines are damaged after a disaster. Satellites also provide the primary timing source for cell phones and pagers.
What was the first thing sent to space?
On Oct. 4, 1957, the Soviets launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into space. Four years later on April 12, 1961, Russian Lt. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth in Vostok 1.
Who worked on Explorer 1?
Russia had launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite, on October 4, 1957. Explorer 1 was launched in quick response by the U.S. It was designed and built in under three months at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) by a team led by William Hayward Pickering.
What was the weight of Explorer I?
30.8 lb
Explorer 1
| Spacecraft properties | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
What did Alan Shepard do on the moon?
At age 47, he became the fifth, the oldest, and the earliest-born person to walk on the Moon, and the only one of the Mercury Seven astronauts to do so. During the mission, he hit two golf balls on the lunar surface.
How long did Explorer 1 stay in space?
Explorer 1
| Mission duration | 111 days (achieved) 120 days (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
|---|---|
| Spacecraft type | Explorer |
| Manufacturer | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Launch mass | 13.97 kg (30.8 lb) |
How do satellites benefit us?
Communications satellites help us communicate with people all over the world. Weather satellites help us observe the Earth from space to help predict weather patterns. Radio and television satellites beam our favorite songs, movies, and television shows to Earth for us to enjoy.
What was the impact of Explorer 1 on the world?
Explorer 1’s impact was enormous; it helped spur on what was to become an all-out space race. Explorer 1 made the headlines in the Huntsville Times on February 1, 1958. Image via NASA. Russia had launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite, on October 4, 1957.
How big was Explorer 1 when it burned up?
Explorer 1 made its final transmission on May 23, 1958. It entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up on March 31, 1970, after more than 58,000 orbits. The satellite weighed 14 kilograms (30.66 pounds).
When did Explorer 1 come back to Earth?
Explorer 1 was the first step in exploring Earth and beyond from space. Explorer 1’s last transmission was received May 21, 1958. The spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up on March 31, 1970, after 58,376 orbits. From 1958 on, more than 100 spacecraft would fall under the Explorer designation.
Who was responsible for the launch of Explorer 1?
The three men responsible for the success of Explorer 1, America’s first Earth satellite which was launched January 31, 1958. At left is Dr. William H. Pickering, former director of JPL, which built and operated the satellite.