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Satellite Evolution: Explorer 1 to International Space Station

This side-by-side comparison highlights the immense scale difference between early space technology and modern orbital infrastructure. On the left, a schematic of the Explorer 1 satellite illustrates its small, 80-inch-long frame, which was barely taller than the average human. On the right, a photograph shows the International Space Station (ISS) orbiting Earth, a massive research laboratory larger than a football field with a mass of over 925,000 pounds.
Explorer 1 was barely taller than the average man. The International Space Station is larger than a football field and is home to a six-member crew.
NASA

The Explorer 1 satellite weighed 30 pounds and was just 80 inches long.

Today, the International Space Station is one of the most complex engineering feats ever undertaken. Its mass is over 925 thousand pounds. The solar arrays span a distance of just over 239 feet, and the truss is 357 feet long. And now, humans are living in space for months at a time.

Compare/contrast Explorer 1 and the International Space Station.

What is the station? Who's on it? How can I see it in the sky?

Print Explorer 1 and the International Space Station in 3-D.

International Space Station 3-D Resources

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Explorer 1

America's first satellite, Explorer 1. America joined the space race with the launch of this small, but important spacecraft.