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The timeline of first Earth observation satellites shows, in chronological order, those successful Earth observation satellites, that is, Earth satellites with a program of Earth science. Sputnik 1, while the first satellite ever launched, did not conduct Earth science. Explorer 1 was the first satellite to make an Earth science discovery when it found the Van Allen belts.

1950s

Satellite Country Date Organisation Notes
Sputnik 2 Soviet Union 3 November 1957 [1] Korolev Design Bureau Researched charged particles near Earth
Explorer 1 United States 1 February 1958 U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency Decayed 31 May 1970. Discovered Van Allen belts.
Explorer 2 United States 5 March 1958 U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency Failed to orbit.
Vanguard 1 United States 17 March 1958 U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Oldest artificial satellite in orbit, along with its upper stage.
Explorer 3 United States 26 March 1958 U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency Decayed 28 June 1958.
Vanguard TV-5 United States 29 April 1958 U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Failed to orbit.
Sputnik 3 Soviet Union 15 May 1958 Korolev Design Bureau Decayed 6 April 1960.
Vanguard SLV-1 United States 28 May 1958 U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Failed to orbit.
Vanguard SLV-2 United States 26 June 1958 U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Failed to orbit.
Explorer 4 United States 26 July 1958 U.S. DARPA Measured electrons & protons in radiation belts. Also measured data on Operation Argus nuclear explosions.
Explorer 5 United States 24 August 1958 U.S. DARPA Failed to orbit.
Vanguard SLV-3 United States 26 September 1958 U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Failed to orbit.
Beacon 1 United States 23 October 1958 NASA/U.S. Army Failed to orbit.
Vanguard II United States 17 February 1959 NASA/U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Still in orbit.
Vanguard SLV-5 United States 14 April 1959 NASA Failed to orbit.
Vanguard SLV-6 United States 22 June 1959 NASA Failed to orbit.
Explorer S-1 United States 16 July 1959 NASA Failed to orbit.
Explorer 6 United States 7 August 1959 Jet Propulsion Laboratory Decayed 1 July 1961.
Beacon 2 United States 15 August 1959 NASA/U.S. Navy Failed to orbit.
Vanguard III United States 18 September 1959 U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Still in orbit.
Explorer 7 United States 13 October 1959 NASA Still in orbit.

1960s

Satellite Country Date Organisation Notes
Explorer 8 United States 3 November 1960 Jet Propulsion Laboratory Ionospheric studies; decayed from orbit on 28 March 2012.
Explorer 9 United States 16 February 1961 Langley Research Center ( NASA) Thermosphere and exosphere studies; decayed from orbit on 9 April 1964.
Explorer S-56a United States 25 February 1961
Explorer 10 United States 25 March 1961 NASA Magnetic field and plasma studies; decayed from orbit on June 1, 1968.
Explorer 11 United States 27 April 1961 NASA Gamma ray detection
Explorer 12 United States 16 August 1961 NASA Solar wind, cosmic ray and magnetic field studies
Explorer 13 United States 25 August 1961
Kosmos 3 Soviet Union 24 April 1962 Decayed from orbit on 17 October 1962.
Ariel 1 United Kingdom 26 April 1962 NASA- SERC Ionospheric studies; decayed from orbit on 24 May 1976.
Kosmos 5 Soviet Union 28 May 1962
Kosmos 8 Soviet Union 18 August 1968 Micrometeoroid detection; discovered meteoroid flux
Alouette 1 Canada 29 September 1962 DRDC Ionospheric studies
TAVE United States 29 September 1962
Explorer 14 United States 2 October 1962 NASA Particle and field detection
Explorer 15 United States 27 October 1962 NASA
Explorer 900 United States 16 December 1962

See also

References

  1. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
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