Space Rockets Gallery

Sputnik 1 rocket track

Sputnik 1 rocket track. Long exposure photograph of the night sky showing the track of the rocket that carried Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite. Sputnik 1 was launched on October 4th, 1957 by the former Soviet Union. The name Sputnik is Russian for travel companion or satellite. The body was made from a highly polished aluminium alloy sphere which measured 58 centimetres in diameter and weighed 83.5 kilograms. It also had four long antennas attached. Sputnik 1 transmitted radio signals back to earth for a period of 21 days. The success of Sputnik 1 prompted the US government to enter the Space Race with the launch of Explorer-1 four months later. Photographed on October 16th, 1957

© DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Explorer 1 in orbit

Explorer 1. Computer artwork of America's first successful artificial satellite, Explorer 1, in orbit. Explorer 1 was launched on 31 January 1958, after the USSR took the USA by surprise by launching the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, on 4 October 1957. The satellite measured 2.05 metres in length and weighed 14 kilograms. It orbited Earth at heights of between 360 kilometres and 2520 kilometres until 31 March 1970. It carried, amongst other instruments, a geiger counter, used to detect cosmic rays. Data collected by the satellite led to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt, a torus of charged particles held in place by the Earth's magnetic field. For a labelled diagram see S060/020

© DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Mercury-Atlas 3 rocket launch, 1961

Mercury-Atlas 3 rocket launch. The small Mercury spacecraft (black) on top of the Atlas rocket is 2 metres long and only large enough for one crew member. The Launch Escape System tower and rocket are seen above the spacecraft. This unmanned test launch lifted off at 11:15 EST on 25 April 1961 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. It was detonated about 40 seconds later, with the spacecraft recovered for examination. Project Mercury took place from 1959 to 1963, succeeding in putting the first US astronaut in space on 5 May 1961. A total of six missions were flown, with four using the 29-metre long Atlas rocket

© NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY