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1958

USA · NASA/JPLfirstrobotic

January 31, 1958

Explorer 1 — first US satellite, discovers Van Allen belts

America's first successful satellite carries a Geiger counter that reveals Earth's radiation belts.

← Back to Space Race Timeline

← Sputnik 2 — first animal in orbit Luna 2 — first lunar impact →

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Dawn of the Space Age

Dawn of the Space Age

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Sputnik 1 — first artificial satellite

Sputnik 1 — first artificial satellite

From the same era

Sputnik 2 — first animal in orbit

From the same era

Luna 2 — first lunar impact

From the same era

Luna 3 — first images of the Moon's far side

From the same era