In 1949, the “Bumper-WAC” became the first human-made object to enter space as it climbed to an altitude of 393…
On March 22, 1956, preliminary satellite tracking tests began in a field near the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The antenna is…
Before the launch of Explorer 1 in 1958, most of JPL’s work involved rocket and missile development for the U.S.…
On Jan. 20, 1958, technicians lowered the Explorer 1 satellite payload onto the launch vehicle’s fourth-stage motor. The photo was…
