Explorer 1

space race · satellites · 1958 · cold war

First U.S. satellite. Explorer 1 launched on January 31, 1958, making it the first satellite the United States successfully sent into space. It came after the Soviet Union had already launched Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 the year before.

Space Race begins. When the Soviets launched Sputnik, Americans felt surprised and determined to catch up. Explorer 1's success started the famous Space Race between the United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War.

International Geophysical Year. Explorer 1 was part of the IGY, a big worldwide scientific project where countries worked together to study Earth and space. The satellite helped scientists learn new things about our planet and the space around it.

Orbited the Earth. Explorer 1 traveled around Earth in an orbit, collecting data from space. It showed that satellites could work as tools to explore beyond our planet.