What was the name of the successful satellite on January 31 1958?
Explorer 1
About the mission 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 success marked the beginning of the U.S. Space Age.
Was the first satellite launch successful?
The Sputnik 1 spacecraft was the first artificial satellite successfully placed in orbit around the Earth and was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome at Tyuratam (370 km southwest of the small town of Baikonur) in Kazakhstan, then part of the former Soviet Union.
When did the first successful American satellite Explorer I is launched into orbit?
31 January 1958
On 31 January 1958, a US Army Jupiter-C rocket launched Explorer I, the first American satellite, into earth orbit.
What happened with the first American satellite?
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).
How far was the first successful American satellite in space?
Explorer 1: The First American Satellite in Pictures The Jupiter-C rocket delivered Explorer 1 into an orbit that ranged between 220 miles to 1,563 miles above Earth. It beamed data to Earth for four months, going silent on May 23. The satellite re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on March 31, 1970 and burned up.
What was the name of the launch that blew up on launchpad in 1958?
Fast Facts. 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.
How long was the first successful American satellite in space?
Explorer 1
| Harvard designation | 1958 Alpha 1 |
| COSPAR ID | 1958-001A |
| SATCAT no. | 00004 |
| Mission duration | 120 days (planned) 111 days (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties |
|---|
What launch blew up on the launchpad in 1958?
Vanguard TV-3
| Spacecraft properties | |
|---|---|
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, LC-18A |
| Contractor | Glenn L. Martin Company |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | Failed to orbit |
What launch blew up on the launchpad on January 31 1958?
Fast Facts. 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.
Where is Explorer 1 now?
Explorer 1 stopped transmission of data on 23 May 1958, when its batteries died, but remained in orbit for more than 12 years. It reentered the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean on 31 March 1970 after more than 58,400 orbits.
What was created in 1958 to coordinate American scientific activities in space?
The U.S. Congress passes legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America’s activities in space, on July 29, 1958.
What American satellite blew up on the launch pad?
Vanguard 1A satellite
As it settled, the fuel tanks ruptured and exploded, destroying the rocket and severely damaging the launch pad. The Vanguard 1A satellite was thrown clear and landed on the ground a short distance away with its transmitters still sending out a beacon signal. The satellite was damaged, however, and could not be reused.