Aug 7 1959

From The Space Library

EXPLORER VI, popularly called the "Paddlewheel Satellite," launched by NASA Thor-Able 3, contained 14 experiments, and a photocell scanner which transmitted a crude picture of the earth's surface and cloud cover from a distance of 17,000 miles. Placed in highly elliptical orbit (26,009 miles out, 156 miles in), It gave a broad sample of readings.

Comdr. M. Ross (USNR) and R. Cooper (High Altitude Observatory) flew STRATO-LAB open gondola balloon to 3S,000 feet for solar studies with a coronagraph.

USAF launched 39-inch weather balloon with radar reflector (Robin) from rocket at 50-mile altitude.