This page contains a photo of the blockhouse from the original launch date, and of the launch team members at the 20-year reunion.

Blockhouse Photo

This is a photo from the blockhouse at the Explorer I launch on Jan. 31, 1958, Cape Canaveral LC-26A.  Following the picture is a list of the names of the people in the picture.

If you have any corrections or know who the man on the phone is, please contact us, either by email (see the floating tab on the left side of the page) or by the online comments (see the bottom of the page).   Please identify the photo (Blockhouse photo) as well as identifying information and name of the individual (For instance, “Blockhouse photo, man on phone is Horatio Hornblower”). Finally, if you are using email, please also identify the page title, “Explorer I”.

Explorer 1 Blockhouse

Console operators, starting in foreground;

Terry Greenfield, in light colored coat
C. D. Sweat, plaid shirt
Isom “Ike” Rigell, dark shirt
Carl Whiteside
W. O. “Curly” Chandler, end of row

Console observers, standing behind operators

Bob Moser, light colored coat
Milt Chambers, behind Carl Whiteside

Standing behind console

Albert Zeiler

Twenty-Year Reunion

The following images show Explorer I team members at KSC at a 20th year reunion on January 12, 1978.  Although there is a small amount of overlap between the two pictures (the right side of the top picture overlaps with the left side of the bottom picture), each person has been numbered once and only once.  Following the picture is a list of the numbers with the corresponding individuals’ names.  You will note some of the individuals have not been identified.

If you know the name of any of the people in the picture, please contact us, either by email (see the floating tab on the left side of the page) or by the online comments (see the bottom of the page).   When identifying an individual, first specify the photo (“20-Year Reunion”), then specify the number before specifying the name.  For instance,  the man on the left with the V-neck cardigan sweater would be “20-Year Reunion photo, No. 1 is Joe Blow.” Finally, if you are using email, please also identify the page title, “Explorer 1”.

Explorer I Reunion, left side of photo

Explorer I Reunion, right side of photo

Not pictured:

Dr. Kurt Debus, Dr. Hans Gruene, Carl Sendler, Albert Zeiler, Grady Williams, Jay Campbell, C.D. Sweat, J.B. Russell, Joe Lendel, Jim Rasberry, Bill Stealey, Ira Thompson, Terry Greenfield, Curly Chandler, Milt Chambers