CosmicRay Instrumentation in the First U. S. Earth Satellite

The first U. S. satellite, 1958 Alpha (Explorer I) carried instrumentation to measure cosmic-ray intensity, micro-meteorite. impacts, and temperatures within the satellite. The instrumentation was designed with emphasis on conservation of electrical power, on stable and reliable operation, on operation over a wide range of temperatures, and on compactness and mechanical ruggedness. The cosmic-ray instrumentation in 1958 Alpha operated according to expectations, providing several hundred recordings of data received during transits over ground stations. These data led to the discovery of a belt of high intensity radiation around the earth.