Which agency launched the first U.S. satellite in November 1957?

• A. NASA
• B. RAND Corporation
• C. NACA
• D. U.S. Army

Answer: (D)

The key idea is understanding who actually carried out the first orbital launch for the United States and when that happened. In the late 1950s, the U.S. space effort was led by the military. An early U.S. attempt to orbit a satellite by the Navy using the Vanguard rocket failed in 1957, so there wasn’t a successful U.S. satellite that month. The first successful U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, was launched by the Army's ballistic missile team using a Juno I rocket in January 1958. NASA hadn’t been created yet, and NACA didn’t handle orbital launches. So, given the options, the Army is the best match for the agency that achieved the first U.S. satellite, recognizing that the actual milestone occurred a bit later than November 1957. This timeline also helps you see why the Army’s role is emphasized in early U.S. space history.