JPL and the Space Age: Explorer 1

Many of the strategies surrounding the Cold War revolved around two things: nuclear weapons and rockets. And in the United States, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, under the supervision of Caltech, was charged with building America’s first tactical nuclear rockets: the Corporal and Sergeant missiles.
At this same time, the United States and the Soviet Union were nearing the ability to launch a satellite into Earth orbit. JPL, working in collaboration with Wernher von Braun’s rocket efforts for the U.S. Army, believed they were fully capable of the feat, if only given the chance. That opportunity vanished in October 1957 when the Soviet Union shocked the world with the launch of Sputnik, the world’s first satellite. The Space Age was underway. The first U.S. response exploded on the launch pad. Only after that embarrassment was JPL and von Braun’s group given the green light. The success of Explorer 1, a satellite built by JPL, provided the world with the first space science discovery.
Explorer 1 traces the story of the role JPL played before the creation of NASA and how the lab was given a vital role as part of this new organization: to explore the cosmos.

[@marsspacex6065]

Its sad that in New Zealand we don't honor William Pickering more he is the pioneer of space exploration.

[@professor-josh]

Rocketlab's work in New Zealand (at a beautiful launch site) is a fitting legacy I would think.

[@davidlawton898]

Looking forward to this video immensely! In the late 70's I got to see my New Zealand born idol Sir William Pickering the Director of JPL at the time of this immortal 'victory' photo, in person in Wellington NZ, where he was visiting his home town. Such an inspiring moment to talk to him in person, and a continuation of the inspiration to continue in the computer / tech industry in which I had begun my career!

[@Vector_Ze]

My lifeline eclipses the entirety of the space age to this point (born December 1953). I feel honored to have witnessed the last three Moon shots from the vicinity of the Cape, and a couple Shuttle launches too.

[@marsspacex6065]

The next ten years are going to be amazing with starship and spacex

[@Vector_Ze]

@@marsspacex6065 Whatever. We shall see. I'd be more enthusiastic if the head of SpaceX wasn't an unstable, megalomaniacal, man-child. Musk is standing on the shoulders of giants. NASA is king, and without their groundwork and infrastructure, he would be nowhere.

[@okankyoto]

And now Artemis/SLS/Orion picks up the baton for the legacy...

[@bblod4896]

The historical videos are great. Thank you JPL.

[@mateialexandrucoltoiu7207]

Elegant documentaries exposing not just the achievements but also the cultural and historical background of those times.

[@geoffcunningham6896]

Another great special about JPL 10/10

[@MrHichammohsen1]

Loved it especially the old pictures and videos! Thank you for this and waiting forward for the next one!

[@s1nb4d59]

Great documentary,well done to the team who put it together.

[@hahaha9076]

I love these. All those involved are super positive. Achieving world firsts. Together as a tight team.

[@zapfanzapfan]

Thank you Jack Parson Laboratory! 🙂

[@RV4aviator]

Wonderful production, thorough research, and fascinating content. ! In Space , if JPL can't do it , then no one can ! Just love the early days of Rocketry...!

[@brettatton]

Many who thought they saw the Sputnik were actually seeing the last stage that put it in orbit...

[@Victortube2111]

Great documentary, very special !

[@jackkomisar458]

I was 7 years old when Sputnik (pronounced "spootnik") was launched. My father read in the newspaper that it would be visible in the night sky at a certain time, so we walked to a clear area and saw a bright object moving in the sky. Recently, I read that what we were actually seeing was the third stage of the booster rocket. But that was something. This year, I saw the International Space Station pass overhead and I was reminded of the experience with my father. The man in the middle at 47:22 of the video, holding a model of the Vanguard satellite between Pickering and Von Braun, is James Van Allen.

[@staticmin3]

awesome history.. thank you. would love to see more like this... ;-)

[@japroz]

Loving this series so far ! Great work 👍

[@winstonsmith478]

Make the entire series available on DVD and Blu-ray PLEASE.

[@ronaldzincone7764]

Another great historical JPL video.

[@traveler.west1]

Excellent documentary, thank you.

[@spiggensengineering1963]

Man those songs are on point!

[@Mattkb9]

This was really good, thank you.

[@TheSteveSteele]

Thank you for this documentary. I’ve been looking forward to a documentary like this for sone time.

[@renatojrreside268]

Great videos, JPL! Thanks!

[@uprightape100]

Pretty great doc.......thank you.

[@oscarwylder]

Awesome documentary thank you : )

[@marktaub]

Cool video

[@ChrisGWGreen]

It's quite an interesting insight into Von Braun's story. We're always led to believe he was the high flyer (no pun intended) that he got his way and *got away* with anything.

[@jaov2k]

ima gonna need the soundtrack. ngl its kinda fire

[@whirledpeas3477]

Miss guided misle pageant, First time I've heard about that. Funny

[@simonwhite8474]

Brilliant, thank you. I was born in '63 and from the age of 5 was enthralled by the space race, so this all pre-dates me. I think maybe RocketLab chose the wrong name for the new engine they're designing for their Neutron rocket....they already have the Rutherford. I think professor Pickering deserves the honour of a rocket engine named after another Kiwi. (Archimedes was pretty clever though!) 😉

[@johnmanderson2060]

Amazing documentary!

[@talkingmudcrab718]

Honestly that "Guided Missiles" song was a missed opportunity for the Fallout Series soundtracks.

[@Helios-Rex]

Great documentary

[@Bia2fix]

great...bravoo

[@tomosen4427]

Enlightened!

[@kraphunkong7075]

Cool

[@alexlandherr]

I like the inclusion of “Tequila”.

[@veritas41photo]

I'd really like to know the answer to this question. Why is it called "Jet Propulsion Laboratory," JPL, when, right from its inception, it was involved (according to the narration) exclusively in rocket propulsion? RPL? Why not? Any help would be appreciated.

[@blainebaggett3092]

In the 1930s the word 'rocket' was frowned upon in academic circles as the work of amateurs (rocket clubs). The proposal that led to the creation of JPL was by Caltech, an academic institution. The second reason is that that same proposal was to build some 'jet-like' rockets attached to the wings of planes to get them into the air They were given the name "JATOs" or Jet Assisted Take Offs. So the name "Jet" stuck.

[@veritas41photo]

@@blainebaggett3092 Thank You!

[@override7486]

@@veritas41photo Previous video in this series explains beginnings of JPL.

[@westlock]

In hindsight, the Sputnik/Vanguard crisis was the best thing to motivate America.

[@davethomas3791]

miss guided missile rofl well done :)

[@starrso]

This video slightly misrepresents the role of the German engineers in the White Sands launch campaigns and the Bumper WAC. The White Sands V2 work was performed by General Electric with occasional consultation by Germans. Also, one of the key reasons why the Army increasingly relied on the Germans under von Braun was that both GE and JPL were getting out of the rocket business; GE to focus on jet engines and JPL to focus on space science (as so well recounted here). Excellent video though!

[@stephenwright8824]

Mort Sahl on Wernher von Braun: _He aimed for the stars... and often hit London._

[@sarayutpudwatt8086]

Good​ Morning, NASA​ JPL​♥️☕🚀

[@chrisrods1994]

The narrator was the voice of the Mass Effect codex

[@ls200076]

nice

[@techcompany_]

Just waiting ,,for this

[@chrisnicholl6078]

I listen to Orbital Digital..

[@Wilhuff_T]

"Hand to mouth efforts" Yes , I'm 12 yrs old.

[@DilipKumar-sq2yg]

It's already in the JPL website

[@whirledpeas3477]

This is JPL 🤣

[@DilipKumar-sq2yg]

@@whirledpeas3477 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@victorapalkow8681]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🤗💙

[@Lot-4656]

🔭

[@christopherfjwood5494]

Of blood and rockets: You better be careful boys You better be careful You'll set the world on fire.

[@hwce6528]

Orbital

[@Thisandthat8908]

Von Braun did work for the army of his country. Developing potential weapons. He did so even before 1933. And without the benefits of armchair historians hindsight it's difficult to see, how he could have known about the "evil regime" before it was too late Korelev did the same btw. Had there been a hot cold war, it would have been Korelevs missiles delivering nuclear warheads to western cities. He didn't mind either. Neither did Oppenheimer, Teller or Feynman. I'm sure the 2-300.000 victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were glad the good guys did it, not an evil regime.

[@johndyson4109]

Not True! Werner would have been shot or sent to prison if he hadn't done his work for the Nazies... He was saving his own life... I'm sure he knew and cared about the ramifications of his work... It was no coincidence that Pickering was at the Soviet Embassy on the night of Sputniks launch...

[@cardeneserene3161]

Yo tengo cuidar mi universo

[@electricminecrafter]

if fusion is successfully invented/created and it has an energy gain will you NASA people use fusion rockets instead of hydrogen ones?

[@Vector_Ze]

There is no doubt that when/or if fusion is practical for energy production, for the first few decades (at least) the equipment will be too massive for space flight.

[@electricminecrafter]

@@Vector_Ze yes but i want to go to Alpha Centauri within a human lifespan

[@whirledpeas3477]

@@electricminecrafter Even with fusion, it's impossible. Remember that you have to slow down before you get there. Run the numbers

[@nicklumsden1238]

Been on b4 why the replays guys??

[@georgebruce695]

Excellent documentary it gives a good view of the space race I still don't believe we landed on the moon USA♿👽🇲🇽

[@professor-josh]

That's ok, I don't believe UFOs are Extra-terrestrial. We all have our quirks.

[@smeeself]

For "reasons" right? 🙄

[@saidlassissi6561]

Histoire de vie spatiale les anciens ont laissés l'héritage la plus vaste sciences pour l'humanité et orienté

[@MrShobar]

21:23. Gen. Medaris later left the Army and became an Episcopal Priest. The Glenn Martin Company was the prime contractor on the Vanguard missile for the Navy. Unfortunately, all the experienced engineers at Martin were already dedicated to the Titan ICBM project. Vanguard was an orphan. Von Braun should have done twenty years for the atrocities that occurred at Mittelwerk. Sputnik singlehandedly caused a reevaluation and renovation of the American education system, particularly at the secondary school level.

[@JesbaamSanchez]

34:40 (Russian Accent) The United States will sleep under a Soviet Moon

[@TheStockwell]

Well, that prediction certainly didn't age very well. 😐

[@jansenart0]

TOO MUCH BASS

[@the_flat_earth_warriorz]

*-LMflatAOFF-*

[@jakemckee1923]

No

[@the_flat_earth_warriorz]

Space is Fake af

[@TheStockwell]

@Mars You're not going to get any of that from a delusional, paranoid, religious troll. 🧐

[@whirledpeas3477]

@@the_flat_earth_warriorz Severe hit to the head or fetal alcohol syndrome ?

[@vanekirk]

🤦🏻‍♂️

[@dougbillman2333]

All us presidents are related.. cousins…..

[@cardeneserene3161]

Es may

[@couttsw]

The Americans were always second because they always had to look good. Its the reason the Russians beat the US into manned space, Soviets just do it, America needs to look good.

[@cardeneserene3161]

Me gusta ya lose todo okay 🆗

[@cardeneserene3161]

Pronto boy a terminar la universidad primero dios

[@VA_SCIENCESL]

Kplutnik

[@sisyphusvasilias3943]

it's the work these men and women did that is responsible for Space X's reliability and cadence today. The design doctrine of SpaceX rocket design is to take free NASA rockets and simplify them with modern design tech and materials.

[@daverobert7927]

We all like a bias film by the yanks

[@vanekirk]

And where has your nation ventured?

[@user-go5jc9xn5c]

🥰I have seen the invincible "God" appearance of the universe and specially made many videos to share the "God" miracles I saw

[@TheStockwell]

So what? 🙄

[@spammerscammer]

OMG it's Von Braun another BROWN.

[@bakkerfrans]

i love the achievements you people made but i hate the fact that your not transparent about the findings and that you are hiding the truth about Mars and the life that is present. it's a big shame that a small group of people are surpressing humankind collective conciousness !