Editing Explorer 1 (section)

== Legacy ==
Explorer 1 was the first of the long-running Explorers program. Four follow-up satellites of the Explorer series were launched by the Juno I launch vehicle in 1958. Of these, Explorer 3 and [[Explorer 4|4]] were successful, while [[Explorer 2]] and [[Explorer 5|5]] failed to reach orbit. The final flight of the Juno I booster, the satellite [[Project Beacon|Beacon-1]], also failed.<ref>J. Boehm, H.J. Fichtner and Otto A. Hoberg, [https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/explorer_i_boehm_document.pdf EXPLORER SATELLITES LAUNCHED BY JUNO 1 AND JUNO 2 VEHICLES], NASA. {{PD-notice}}</ref> The Juno I vehicle was replaced by the [[Juno II]] launch vehicle in 1959.

A follow-up to the first mission, [[M-Cubed|Explorer-1 Prime Unit 2]], was successfully launched aboard a [[Delta II]] launch vehicle in late October 2011. The Prime was built using modern satellite construction techniques. The orbiting satellite was a backup, because the initial [[Explorer-1 Prime]], launched on 4 March 2011, did not reach orbit due to a launch vehicle failure.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ssel.montana.edu/msus-twin-satellite-to-launch-oct-28-on-nasa-rocket/ |title=MSU's twin satellite to launch October 28 on NASA rocket |access-date=5 October 2013 |date=23 October 2011 |work=Space Science and Engineering Laboratory |author=Evelyn Boswell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005021134/https://ssel.montana.edu/msus-twin-satellite-to-launch-oct-28-on-nasa-rocket/ |archive-date=5 October 2013}}</ref>

An identically constructed flight backup of Explorer 1 is on display in the [[Smithsonian Institution]]'s [[National Air and Space Museum]], Milestones of Flight Gallery in Washington, D.C., [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station|LC-26A]] was deactivated in 1963 and was designated for use as a museum in 1964, the [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum|Air Force Space and Missile Museum]].<ref>[http://www.afspacemuseum.org/displays/LC26blockhouse/ Launch Complex 26 Blockhouse] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425064750/http://www.afspacemuseum.org/displays/LC26blockhouse/ |date=25 April 2016}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Here too, a full-scale Explorer 1 is on display, but this one is a mock-up.<ref>[http://www.afspacemuseum.org/displays/ExplorerI/ Explorer I] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526205044/http://afspacemuseum.org/displays/ExplorerI/ |date=26 May 2016}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>