Author Topic: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31  (Read 3278 times)

Offline jacqmans

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January 23, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-014

Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31

America became a space-faring nation with the launch of the Explorer 1 satellite on Jan. 31, 1958.

Late in the evening of Jan. 31, 1958, the United States took its first step into space with the launch of the Explorer 1 satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The slender, 30-pound satellite would yield a major scientific discovery -- the Van Allen radiation belts circling our planet -- and ushered in six decades of groundbreaking U.S. space science and human exploration.

In commemoration of this achievement, NASA is supporting events in Florida, California, and Washington, D.C., to mark the 60th anniversary of the launch. The Florida event provides media with the opportunity to visit the historic Explorer 1 launch complex at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Anniversary events spotlight the historical significance of the Explorer 1 mission, the legacy of scientific accomplishments produced by America’s space program, and NASA’s continuing journey of discovery in space.

Six Decades of Earth Science Discoveries
Thursday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m. PST
 NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), von Karman Auditorium, Pasadena, California

America’s very first space science discovery was made by the JPL-built Explorer 1. Join JPL historian Erik Conway, JPL Earth scientists Carmen Boening and Erika Podest and others for a conversation and multimedia journey that spans the dawn of American space science to the latest Earth-observing missions that are providing vital information about our planet. The event will be livestreamed and is open to the public.

The Explorer 1 Mission and the Discovery of Earth's Radiation Belts
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 12:30-5:30 p.m. EST
 National Academy of Sciences, 2101 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington

The Space Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine host a celebration of the Explorer 1 mission and the associated discovery of Earth’s radiation belts. Speakers, including NASA Associate Administrator for Science Thomas Zurbuchen, will discuss scientific and technological advances over the past six decades, the history of the mission and radiation belt discoveries, the latest results from NASA’s Van Allen Probes, and space missions observing the Earth system. The event will be live-streamed and is open to the public (advance registration required).

Media Opportunity at Explorer 1 Launch Complex
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2 p.m. EST
 Air Force Space and Missile Museum, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Reporters are invited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Explorer 1 launch and hear from speakers including Kennedy Space Center Director Robert Cabana and Explorer 1 launch weather officer John Meisenheimer. The event is open to U.S. citizens only. Media must RSVP for this event no later than noon Friday, Jan. 26. All media accreditation requests should be submitted online. For questions about accreditation, email [email protected]. For additional information about the event, contact Kennedy’s newsroom at 321-867-2468.

A new NASA website is available to provide the public with historical information about Explorer 1. The site contains archival imagery and an interactive timeline of American space science firsts:

https://go.nasa.gov/Explorer1

High-resolution imagery and interviews related to the Explorer 1 launch and America’s six decades of space science missions are available for download at:

https://explorer1.jpl.nasa.gov/media

America’s space program continues to build on 60 years of scientific exploration and discovery with new missions that will expand our view of the universe, our solar system and our home planet. During the next two years, NASA will launch the first spacecraft to “touch” the Sun, a space observatory that will search for the first light of the early universe, and a mission to explore the deep interior of Mars.

NASA also is leading the next steps of human exploration with missions to the Moon where astronauts will build and test systems needed for challenging voyages deeper into space, including Mars.
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #1 on: 01/24/2018 06:08 am »
January 23, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M01-18

NASA, 45th Space Wing Invite Media to 60-Year Anniversary of Explorer 1 Launch

Members of the media are invited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Explorer 1 launch at 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The successful launch of Explorer 1 on Jan. 31, 1958, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, marked the beginning of U.S. space exploration. The primary science instrument on board was a cosmic ray detector, which led to Explorer principal investigator James Van Allen's discovery of Earth’s radiation belts, later named the Van Allen belts in his honor. The Air Force Space and Missile Museum is located at the launch site where this pioneering mission began.

Speakers include:

•Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, commander, 45th Space Wing
•Robert Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
•John Meisenheimer, Explorer 1 launch weather officer

This event is open to U.S. citizens only. A government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license, is required to participate. In addition, proof of U.S. citizenship also is required, such as a passport or birth certificate. All news media must RSVP for this event no later than noon on Friday, Jan. 26.

All media accreditation requests should be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

For questions about accreditation, please email [email protected]. For other questions or additional information contact Kennedy’s newsroom at 321-867-2468.

A new NASA website provides extensive historical information about Explorer 1, including archival imagery and videos:

https://explorer1.jpl.nasa.gov

America’s space program continues to build on 60 years of scientific exploration and discovery that followed Explorer 1 with new missions that will expand our view of the universe, our solar system, and our home planet. For more information about NASA programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov
Jacques :-)

Offline jkumpire

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #2 on: 01/24/2018 12:14 pm »
Thank you for the information about this event, as sad as it is.

Remembering the Explore 1 launch and what 60 years of spaceflight have done are okay, but few people care and the government agency that controls much of it stopped caring about 1970.

Online catdlr

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #3 on: 01/25/2018 04:46 am »
article from JPL.

Explorer 1: The Beginning of American Space Science

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7043

Included YouTube Video:
Explorer 1: First U.S. Satellite

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Published on Jan 24, 2018

Against the backdrop of the 1950s Cold War, after the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik, Americans were determined to launch their own Earth-orbiting satellite. Flashback to events leading up to the successful launch of America's Explorer 1, and the beginnings of America's Space Age, as told through newsreel and documentary clips of the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT39gTs9X7k?t=001



« Last Edit: 01/25/2018 04:47 am by catdlr »
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline Jim

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #4 on: 01/25/2018 02:50 pm »
Thank you for the information about this event, as sad as it is.

Remembering the Explore 1 launch and what 60 years of spaceflight have done are okay, but few people care and the government agency that controls much of it stopped caring about 1970.

Not true at all.  Hundreds of launches say otherwise.

Offline Kansan52

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #5 on: 01/26/2018 05:51 pm »
And the people I have met from that government agency are excited about Space (and Aeronautics).

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #6 on: 01/31/2018 03:44 pm »
Wonderful historical article, thank you gentlemen! :) I would love to see these as a regular feature on NSF...
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Online catdlr

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #7 on: 01/31/2018 09:43 pm »
How America's First Satellite Helped Create NASA

NASA Goddard
Published on Jan 31, 2018


On Jan. 31 at 10:48 p.m. EST, Explorer 1 launched into space, hurtling into Earth's orbit in seven and a half minutes. The next day's front-page news declared that the United States was now officially in the Space Age. Music: Look Forward by Laurent Dury, The Space Between by Max Concors, Picking Locks by James Alexander Dorman and Foraging At Dusk by Benjamin James Parsons. Complete transcript available.

Read more here: https://go.nasa.gov/2nwic63

This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12837

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/LK Ward





Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Online catdlr

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Re: Celebrating 60 Years of America in Space on Jan. 31
« Reply #8 on: 02/01/2018 12:31 am »
Cross-posting to this wonderfully written article:

FEATURE ARTICLE: 60 years after U.S.’s first satellite success, space program thriving -
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/01/60-years-first-satellite-success-space-program-thriving/

- By William Graham and Chris Gebhardt
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

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