Editing Explorer 2 (section)

== Mission ==
Explorer 2 launched from the Cape Canaveral Missile Test Center of the Atlantic Missile Range (AMR), pad 26A, on 5 March 1958 at 18:27:57 GMT.<ref name="JSR1">{{cite web |url=https://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt|title=Launch Log|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|date=21 July 2021|access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> The flight was nominal through third stage ignition. The fourth stage failed to ignite, making attainment of orbital velocity impossible. The spacecraft reentered the atmosphere and fell into the Atlantic Ocean near [[Trinidad]], some {{cvt|3000|km}} from the launch site. The cause of the failure was believed to be due to failure of a light plastic cone, which held the igniter in place at the fourth stage nozzle, under the launch stresses. This allowed the igniter to fall out of position. The igniter support was strengthened for later flights.<ref name="Display"/><ref name="JPL">{{cite web|url=http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/Programs/explorer.html|title=Mission and Spacecraft Library - Explorer Program|publisher=Jet Propulsion Laboratory|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127144116/http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/Programs/explorer.html|archive-date=2008-01-27 |access-date=13 February 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>