What was the name the first satellite launched by the USA in space?
What was the name the first satellite launched by the USA in space?
(A) Vanguard 1
(B) Sputnik 1
(C) Explorer 1
(D) Telstar 1
Explorer 1, the U.S.'s first satellite, made it into orbit on January 31, 1958. NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab built it, and it was launched on a Jupiter-C rocket. The instruments on board led to the the about the Van Allen radiation belts.