Is Explorer 1 still in orbit?
The primary science instrument on Explorer 1 was a cosmic ray detector designed to measure the radiation environment in Earth orbit. 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.
What was the purpose of the Explorer 1 satellite?
The primary science instrument on Explorer 1 was a cosmic ray detector designed to measure the radiation environment in Earth orbit. Once in space this experiment, provided by Dr. James Van Allen of the State University of Iowa, revealed a much lower cosmic ray count than expected.
Who developed Explorer 1?
William Hayward Pickering
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.
When did Explorer 1 launch?
January 31, 1958
Explorer 1/Launch date
Is Sputnik still orbiting Earth?
Sputnik 1 burned up on 4 January 1958 while reentering Earth’s atmosphere, after three months, 1,440 completed orbits of the Earth, and a distance travelled of about 7.0×107 km (4.3×107 mi)….Sputnik 1.
| Spacecraft properties | |
|---|---|
| Decay date | 4 January 1958 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
What is the oldest satellite still operating?
The Vanguard spacecraft, the oldest satellite still in orbit, is seen here in Cape Canaveral, Florida, back in 1958. Today, there are more than 2,600 active satellites in orbit, as well as thousands of dead satellites that circle the planet as space junk.
Who created the satellite?
the Soviet Union
October, 1957: Soviets launch first artificial satellite into Earth orbit. Fifty years ago, on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, shocking the American public and beginning the Space Age.
What is the official name for Explorer 1?
Explorer 1
| Explorer 1 statistics and orbital diagram | |
| Names | Explorer I 1958 Alpha 1 |
| Mission type | Earth science |
| Operator | JPL / Army Ballistic Missile Agency |
| Spacecraft properties |
|---|
Who made satellites?
What are facts about the Explorer 1 satellite?
Satellite Spurred by the Soviets. Click here for more Space.com videos… Behind the Vanguard. Click here for more Space.com videos… Explorer 1’s science. Explorer 1’s launch was a large policy coup, to be sure, but what was also interesting was the science the little satellite beamed back. Simplicity and reliability. Recent Van Allen belt findings.
When did Explorer 1 first US satellite go in orbit?
Bottom line: Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States. It was sent into Earth orbit by a Jupiter C rocket on January 31, 1958. It gave the US a big boost in the early days of the U.S.-Soviet space race. This pioneering satellite also carried a scientific instrument that detected what we now know as the Van Allen Belts.
How far above Earth was Explorer 1?
The spacecraft, small enough to be held triumphantly overhead, orbited Earth from as far as 1,594 miles (2,565 km) above and made the first scientific discovery in space. It was called, appropriately, Explorer 1.
How long was Explorer 1 in space?
Explorer 1 , the third human-made object in space, also carried scientific instruments that detected the Van Allen Belts that envelope Earth. Explorer 1 weighed just 30 pounds (14 kilograms) and was under 7 feet long (203 cm). It took 114.8 minutes to complete one orbit of Earth – that’s 12.54 orbits a day.