 |
| Explorer 6 "Goldcraft" launch cover postmarked at Port Canaveral on August 7, 1959. |
Explorer 6 was a NASA satellite launched on August 7, 1959, at 14:24:20 GMT. This small, spherical satellite was designed to investigate trapped radiation of different energies, galactic cosmic rays, geomagnetism, radio propagation in the upper atmosphere, and the flux of micrometeorites. Additionally, it tested a scanning device intended for capturing images of the Earth's cloud cover. On August 14, 1959, Explorer 6 captured the first photographs of Earth from a satellite.
 |
| Explorer 6 launch cover (unknown cachet maker) with Patrick Air Force Base postmark. |
(Reference from
Explorer 6)
