explorer


Pronunciation key

( iks-plôrẽr )
( iks-plōrẽr )

ex•plor•er

n.

  1. One who explores; namely, one who explores an unknown or little known geographic region.
  2. Science. Medical. An implement or device used in exploration or examination such as a dental probe or space probe.
  3. The name Explorer is dedicated to a series of early United States satellites sponsored by the U.S. Army and later by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Data collected by the early explorers were of importance in the discovery of the innermost of the two Van Allen radiation belts.

    • Explorer I. The first U.S. artificial satellite. It was named for the high altitude balloon flights of the 1930's which was launched from Cape Canaveral on January 31, 1958 by a Juno 1 rocket. It was the first U.S. earth satellite orbited on February 1, 1958 by the U.S. Army, utilizing a modified Redstone missile. The program continued into the 1980's Instrumentation was primarily a Geiger counter to take measurements of radiation and a microphone to facilitate recording collisions with micrometeorites. Since that time other satellites have been launched that are in the Explorer class of lighter scientific satellites in contrast to the heavier observatory class. The Explorers are similar to the Soviet Cosmos series.
    • Explorer II. U.S. manned research balloon used in the early 1930's. See balloons in aerospace research history.
  4. British experimental hydrogen peroxide-powered submarine constructed after World War II. See submarine development of United Kingdom.

Soviet vs. U.S. Space Exploration

Soviet Cosmos Series
Soviet Cosmos Satellite

Explorer 1
Image credit: NASA
Explorer 1 was the first U.S. satellite and the first satellite to carry science instruments. The satellite was launched on Jan. 31, 1958, from Cape Canaveral , Fla. Explorer 1 followed a looping flight path that orbited Earth once every 114 minutes. The satellite went as high as 2,565 kilometers (1,594 miles) and as low as 362 kilometers (225 miles) above Earth.

References

  • Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955
  • Encyclopedia International ©1966 (Grolier Inc.)
  • Encyclopedia Britannica Micropedia ©1984
  • The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition ©1985
  • Grolier Encyclopedia of Knowledge ©1991

  • Nova Space Explorer's Guide

    Related Links

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