The first attempt to look at the earth's weather from space occurred early in the history of the United States space program. In 1959 Vanguard II was launched with light-sensitive cells able to provide information about the earth's cloud cover. Unfortunately, the satellite tumbled in orbit and was unable to return any information. Explorer VI, also launched in 1959, was more successful and transmitted the first photographs of the earth's atmosphere from space.

In 1960 the United States launched the first experimental weather satellite, TIROS 1. The acronym for Television and Infra Red Observation Satellite, TIROS 1 televised over 22,000 photos before it failed six weeks later. It detected potential hurricanes days before they could have been spotted by any other means. It watched the spring breakup of the ice in the St. Lawrence River and helped forecast weather for the supplying of Antarctic bases. TIROS 1 also used infrared detectors to measure...