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Missions and Programs

Explorer Program

Early Uncrewed Satellite and Reconnaissance Programs

An ongoing NASA program, founded in 1958, that provides flight opportunities for physics, geophysics, heliophysics and astrophysics investigations from space. Explorer 1, the first American satellite, discovered the Van Allen radiation belts and reached orbit on 1 February 1958; over ninety missions have flown under the program since, organized into Medium-Class, Small and University-Class Explorer mission tiers.

Facts
Mission Type
Ongoing satellite and small-mission flight-opportunity program 1
Launch Date
1958-02-01 1
Date of Explorer 1, the program's first mission.
Outcome
Ongoing; Explorer 1 discovered the Van Allen radiation belts on the program's first flight, and over ninety missions have launched under the program since 1958. 1
Mission Type
Mission Type (category)
Satellite Deployment 1
Connections

Operated By

Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Wikipedia: Explorers program, lead section
    The Explorers Program is a NASA exploration program that provides flight opportunities for physics, geophysics, heliophysics, and astrophysics investigations from space.
  • Wikipedia: Explorers program, mission list
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