Explorer 1

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Author/Origin: Brian Kumanchik, NASA/JPL-Caltech Relevant Mission: Explorer Explorer 1 became the very first satellite launched by the United States when it was successfully placed into space on January 31, 1958. Following the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency received orders to launch a satellite using its Jupiter C rocket, which had been developed under the direction of Dr. Wernher von Braun. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory was assigned the task of designing, building and operating the artificial satellite that would serve as the rocket's payload. JPL completed this job in less than three months. https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov/detail/explorer-1