DEFENSE: Big Shot

Up from the well-blasted concrete beach at Cape Canaveral, Fla. last week rose the U.S.'s latest contribution to the heavens: a 38.43-lb. instrument assembly called Explorer IV. For the Army's dependable ballistic dray horse, Jupiter-C, which has failed only once in four tries, this was a milk-run space delivery—but on a new route. All other U.S. satellites were launched toward the equator to take advantage of the earth's 1,000-m.p.h. spin. Explorer IV soared northeast along the New England coast, into a looping orbit which will span more of the earth's surface—including most of Russia.

The U.S. is not as interested...