Media Resources

The launch of Explorer 1 on Jan. 31, 1958, initiated six decades of groundbreaking scientific discovery and human exploration that NASA and its partners continue to this day.

The video and images here are available for download by media covering the 60th anniversary. Unless otherwise indicated, please credit NASA when using this material.

Media contacts:

Elizabeth Vlock,

NASA Headquarters
Email Address: elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov

Andrew Good

NASA JPL Media Relations
Email: andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov

Video

This iconic black-and-white historic photograph captures William Pickering, James Van Allen, and Wernher von Braun triumphantly holding a full-scale model of the Explorer 1 satellite above their heads during a press conference at the National Academy of Sciences. The three men are smiling broadly as they celebrate the successful launch of America's first satellite on January 31, 1958. In the background, an inscription on the stone wall is partially visible, while a smaller rocket model stands on a table in the lower right corner, symbolizing the beginning of the U.S. space age.

Explorer 1 Media Reel

This B-roll of historic video from the development to the launch of Explorer 1 includes footage of the spacecraft as well as excerpts from interviews with the key historic figures.

This complex graphic, created by NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio, displays a comprehensive timeline of space missions from 1958 through 2017. A horizontal timeline at the top tracks launch dates, while the left side lists historical milestones like Explorer 1 and Apollo 8. In the center, a grayscale Earth is surrounded by dozens of overlapping green and blue orbital paths representing the modern fleet of satellites, such as Aqua and Landsat 8, that monitor the planet's oceans, atmosphere, and land.

Visualize NASA Near-Earth Missions

This representation by NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio shows the orbits of NASA-related near-Earth science missions from the launch of the first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958 through 2017. The missions include both NASA-run missions and those operated by NASA and partner organizations.

A medium close-up shot features Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, speaking during a video interview. He is wearing a dark suit with a small NASA pin and a blue-and-white patterned tie. In the background, a brightly lit monitor displays a graphic poster that reads "GO! EXPLORER 1" in large blue and black letters, alongside a stylized illustration of the satellite launching into a starry sky to mark "60 Years of America in Space".

The Journey of Discovery

Former NASA Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Thomas Zurbuchen talks about the excitement of new discoveries heralded by Explorer 1 and the promise of future exploration.

A medium close-up shot features Dr. Bill Barry, NASA’s Chief Historian, speaking during a video interview. He is dressed in a dark pinstripe suit with a small NASA pin and a patterned tie. In the background, a large monitor displays a dramatic image of the Explorer 1 satellite in orbit against the curve of the Earth, highlighting the historical significance of the mission he is discussing.

Explorer 1 and the Birth of NASA

The success of the first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, convinced government officials of the need for a national, civilian space agency. Celebrating six decades of achievement since the launch of Explorer 1 and the subsequent establishment of NASA, NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry talks about the big impact of that little satellite.

In this medium close-up shot, Dr. Michael Watkins, the former director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is featured during an interview reflecting on the legacy of Explorer 1. He is dressed in a dark suit and seated at a reflective black table, gesturing with his hands as he speaks. The background of the Space Flight Operations Facility (SFOF) is visible, filled with glowing blue monitors, a desk labeled "VOYAGER ACE," and various mission control data displays that symbolize the decades of space exploration that followed the first U.S. satellite.

Explorer 1: America’s First Satellite and the Future of Exploration

What did the launch of Explorer 1, America’s first satellite, mean for the lab that designed it and the nation’s space program? Michael Watkins, former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, reflects on 60 years of space science and looks forward to new challenges.