This artifact is an engineering test model for the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform E, also known as IMP-E and Explorer 35. This spacecraft, built by Westinghouse, was designed to provide data on the solar wind, magnetic fields and radiation near the moon. The flight model was placed into orbit on July 19, 1967, aboard a Delta vehicle. This engineering model was refurbished at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and then transferred to NASM in May 1976.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.