DEFENDERS OF AMERICA*
U. S. ARMY EXPLORER I IN ORBIT
The U. S. ARMY EXPLORER I was launched into orbit on January 31, 1958. On that
night, the modified Army JUPITER -C Missile surged skyward from a floodlit launching
pad at Cape Canaveral Missile Test Center and disappeared from sight. Minutes later,
it had carried into orbit the Free World's first Satellite, officially christened the "EX-
PLORER.” The 70-foot long JUPITER-C Intermediate range ballistic Missile dis-
engaged at a pre-determined point in the trajectory, propelled the slender 30.8 pound,
80-inch long EXPLORER into orbit. It is only 6 inches in diameter and carries 11 pounds
of instruments. Since that day, the EXPLORER has been moving at an 18,000-mile-
an-hour clip around the earth, providing invaluable data in support of the 1958 Inter-
national Geophysical Year research.
This is No. 23 of the new 1959 series of twenty-four cards illustrating and describing a different
weapon or piece of equipment in the NABISCO Shredded Wheat "Defenders of America” series.
Each of these cards is a full detailed reproduction of an official United States Army, Navy, Air
Force or Marine photograph. One of these official photograph reproductions is packed in each
package of NABISCO Shredded Wheat. Get the entire set by eating NABISCO Shredded
Wheat regularly and trading with your friends.
NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY
NEW YORK 22, N. Y.
*TRADE MARK Reg.
OFFICIAL U. S. ARMY PHOTOGRAPH
