Tori McLendon of NASA Communications, speaks to guests at an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of America's first satellite. The ceremony took place in front of the Space Launch Complex 26 blockhouse at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where the Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

During a ceremony at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 26 a historical marker is unveiled noting the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1. From the left, Ray Sands, chairman of the Air Force Space and Missile Foundation -- sponsor of the marker, Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and director of the Eastern Range and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. The Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and director of the Eastern Range, right, speaks with Launch team members who supported the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1. They spoke following an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of America's first satellite. The ceremony took place in front of the Space Launch Complex 26 blockhouse at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where the Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana speaks to guests at an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of America's first satellite. The ceremony took place in front of the Space Launch Complex 26 blockhouse at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where the Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

During a ceremony at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 26 a historical marker has been unveiled noting the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1. From the left, Ray Sands, chairman of the Air Force Space and Missile Foundation -- sponsor of the marker, Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and director of the Eastern Range and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. The Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

During a ceremony at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 26 a historical marker is unveiled noting the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1. From the left, Ray Sands, chairman of the Air Force Space and Missile Foundation -- sponsor of the marker, Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and director of the Eastern Range and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. The Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

Dr. John Meisenheimer, launch weather officer for Explorer 1, speaks to guests at an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of America's first satellite. The ceremony took place in front of the Space Launch Complex 26 blockhouse at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where the Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and director of the Eastern Range, speaks to guests at an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of America's first satellite. The ceremony took place in front of the Space Launch Complex 26 blockhouse at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where the Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

Dr. John Meisenheimer, launch weather officer for Explorer 1, speaks to guests at an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of America's first satellite. The ceremony took place in front of the Space Launch Complex 26 blockhouse at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where the Explorer 1 satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

During a ceremony at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space launch Complex 26 a historical marker has been unveiled noting the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1. The satellite was launched atop a Jupiter C rocket on Jan. 31, 1958. During operation, the satellite's cosmic ray detector discovered radiation belts around Earth which were named for Dr. James Van Allen, principal investigator for the satellite.

Launch team members who supported the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1, pose at a newly unveiled historical marker with Ray Sands, chairman of the Air Force Space and Missile Foundation -- sponsor of the marker, Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and director of the Eastern Range, and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. The event tool place at the site of the launch 60 years ago, Space Launch Complex 26 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.