1958 First American Satellite

1958 in spaceflight a juno i launches the first american satellite explorer 1.

1958 first american satellite.

The soviet union s sputnik 1 and 2 beginning the cold war space race between the two nations. On january 31 1958 the first american satellite blasted into orbit. Explorer 1 it was the american answer to the soviet union s sputnik 1 which kicked off the space age when it launched. Satellite discovers van allen belt.

The united states enters the space age with the successful launch of the explorer i satellite. It carried instruments to study cosmic rays tiny particles whizzing through space. Explorer 1 was sent into space on a rocket launcher named juno. A satellite is any object that orbits the earth while manmade satellites are machines that can send and receive messages.

The rocket s sole payload was a javelin shaped satellite built by the jet propulsion laboratory in pasadena california. Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the united states and was part of the u s. A quick response to the soviet union s launch of sputnik 1 explorer 1 s success marked the beginning of the u s. Explorer 1 as it would soon come to be called was america s first satellite.

Nasa had yet to be formed and the honor of this first flight belonged to the u s. Data from the satellite confirms. Explorer 1 was the first american satellite to reach orbit on 31 january 1958. Explorer 1 was launched on january 31 1958 at 22 48 eastern time february 1 03 48 utc.

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 date was jan. Explorer 1 became the first successfully launched satellite by the united states when it was sent to space on january 31 1958. Explorer 1 was the united states first satellite in space.

31 1958 the united states launched its first successful satellite. 30 january 2008 02 49 pm et. America s first satellite explorer 1 joined the space race on this day in 1958.