FIRST UNITED STATES SPACE LAUNCH
31 JANUARY 1958
On this date the U.S. Army’s Ballistic Missile
Agency launched the United States’ first
space craft – Explorer 1. The Jet Propulsion
Laboratory and the State University of Iowa
developed the satellite payload which was
launched on an Army Jupiter-C rocket.
Explorer I made significant contributions to
the exploration of space with the discovery
of the Van Allen Radiation Belts
We salute the dedicated soldiers and
civilians who answered the nation’s call and
blazed the trail for future generations of
space explorers.
Placed here in celebration of the
50th anniversary of Explorer 1.
Members of:
USASMDC/ARSTRAT
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Army Space Professional Association
ITT Corporation
Overview
Display location:
- Front of Museum Blockhouse
History
Placed during the 50th anniversary ceremony held at the museum in January 2008.
Related Pages:
- Explorer I Exhibit
- National Historic Landmark Monument
- AIAA Historical Monument
- CCSFS Markers, Memorials, Sites, and Stories