Explorer I-America's First Satellite

On January 31, 1958, the US Army launched Explorer I, the first successfull U.S, Earth satellite. It roared skyward from Cape Canaveral on an Army Jupiter C rocket. Explorer I was a working satellite performing research. The Explorer I carried high and low powered transmitters to first measure the bands of intense radiation surrounding the Earth now know as the Van Allen radiation belts. Explorer I remained in orbit for over 12 years after making 58,408 circuits of the Earth. This is a 1/6 scale plastic kit made in the US by Glenco celebrating 50 years of space exploration.