Explorer 3
Explorer 3 was an early U.S. Army Earth satellite carrying cosmic-ray, temperature, and micrometeorite experiments. A tape recorder sampled radiation counts around its orbit, allowing scientists to interpret detector saturation seen by Explorer 1 and map the intense charged-particle environment around Earth.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Explorer IIISatellite 1958 Gamma1958-003A
- Name
- Explorer 3
- Slug
- explorer-3
- Status
- completed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- Explorer 3 was an early U.S. Army Earth satellite carrying cosmic-ray, temperature, and micrometeorite experiments. A tape recorder sampled radiation counts around its orbit, allowing scientists to interpret detector saturation seen by Explorer 1 and map the intense charged-particle environment around Earth.
- End Date
- 1958-06-28
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- Explorer 3 reached an elliptical Earth orbit and returned the recorded radiation measurements needed to confirm the Van Allen belts. The satellite reentered Earth's atmosphere on June 28, 1958 after completing its science mission.
- Program
- Explorer
- Start Date
- 1958-03-26
- Vehicle Families
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 18, 2026 at 18:38:19 UTC
- Updated Time
- July 18, 2026 at 18:38:19 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles