Full-scale replica of the Explorer VII spacecraft. The satellite was launched on October 13, 1959 atop a Juno II vehicle and successfully went into orbit. The spacecraft carried an array of instruments designed to study a broad range of radiation from the sun including X-rays, the intensity of cosmic rays and the field of charged particles in the ionosphere as well as micrometeorite impacts. It provided data from its instruments for 13 months, during the course of which it sent back readings acquired during a major solar flare. The object was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in August 1972 and was restored in 2005.
Display Status
This object is on display in Space Science at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed
Manufacturer
U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal
Dimensions
Approximate: 2 ft. 6 in. diameter x 2 ft. 6 in. tall, 92 lb. (76.2 x 76.2cm, 41.7kg)
Materials
Metal shell, solar cells, electronics
Alternate Name
Explorer 7 Satellite (Replica)
Inventory Number
A19761109000
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.