The Day America Pioneered Polar Orbits
Sixty-six years ago, a Thor-Agena rocket thundered into the California sky carrying Discoverer 1, the first satellite attempt at polar orbit and the secret vanguard of Americas space reconnaissance program
Sixty-six years ago, a Thor-Agena rocket thundered into the California sky carrying Discoverer 1, the first satellite attempt at polar orbit and the secret vanguard of Americas space reconnaissance program
Sixty-three years ago, a Thor-Agena rocket launched the first dual-camera reconnaissance satellite, revolutionizing space-based intelligence while hiding behind the final use of a famous cover name
Fifty-nine years ago, a revolutionary new rocket thundered skyward from Cape Kennedy, testing the spacecraft that would eventually carry astronauts to the lunar surface
Fifty-six years ago, a revolutionary spacecraft launched toward the Red Planet after being saved from disaster by two quick-thinking technicians who risked their lives to prevent a rocket collapse
Fourteen years ago, Space Shuttle Discovery thundered into orbit one last time, carrying a robot astronaut and capping a remarkable 27-year career that revolutionized space exploration
Forty-eight years ago, a pioneering satellite named Kiku 2 propelled Japan into the exclusive group of nations capable of operating satellites in geostationary orbit