Satellites - National Air and Space Museum
A satellite is an object that is in orbit around an object in space of a larger size. Things such as the Earth's Moon or Pluto's Charon are natural satellites. Humans have also created artificial satellites—human-made machines and spacecraft in orbit …
What Was the Space Race? | National Air and Space Museum
Aug 23, 2023 · The first U.S. satellite launch effort failed spectacularly when its Vanguard rocket exploded during liftoff on December 6, 1957. (NASA) After the first Vanguard failure, the Army gained approval to attempt a satellite launch. On January 31, 1958, a modified Redstone missile, the Jupiter-C, lofted America's first satellite, Explorer 1, into space.
Environmental impact of space debris and how to solve it | World ...
Jul 13, 2022 · The space industry likes to see itself as an integral player in the battle against climate change. On a superficial level, this perception is justified. Space science and exploration have fostered a deeper understanding of our planet and satellite communications will allow for a more efficient use of the planet’s resources.
What Can You Really See From Space?
Apr 8, 2011 · View from GOES satellite showing weather systems moving across the entire globe. In the past, it was often incorrectly stated that the Great Wall of China was the only man-made thing visible from space. Although an astronaut would pr
Sputnik and the Space Age | National Air and Space Museum
Oct 3, 2017 · On the most recent mission to the International Space Station, the Soyuz MS-06 crew had a special toy-- a miniature module of Sputnik, the world’s first human-made satellite of the Earth. They chose this model to commemorate the 60 th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957.
Space junk: what it is and why cleaning it up matters
May 20, 2021 · Space junk can travel at 40,000km an hour and can destroy satellite communications. A new space mission is aiming to capture and remove space debris from orbit. In November 2021, the crew of the International Space Station were forced to take shelter onboard to avoid being struck by pieces of a broken satellite orbiting Earth.
Applications Satellites | National Air and Space Museum
From the beginning of the Space Age, people recognized that Earth-orbiting satellites—able to see and communicate across vast distances—promised unique benefits. In the tense years of the Cold War, such spacecraft (known as applications satellites) evolved down two separate paths: one devoted to national security needs, the other to ...
Communications Satellite, Oscar I - National Air and Space Museum
Launched in December 1961, OSCAR 1 (Orbiting Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio) was the world's first non-governmental satellite. Built by a group of California based amateur radio operators for only 63 dollars, OSCAR I operated for nearly …
Communications Satellites - National Air and Space Museum
In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower used SCORE—the first communication satellite—to broadcast a Christmas message: "Through this unique means I convey to you and all mankind, America's wish for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men everywhere." The SCORE (Signal Communications by Orbital Relay Equipment) satellite operated for 35 days.
Ariel 1 Satellite | National Air and Space Museum
This is a replica of Ariel-1 satellite, the world's first internationally conceived and executed satellite. The flight model was designed and built by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and carried six British experiments designed to study the ionosphere and its relationship to solar radiation, including cosmic ray, solar emission and ...