On 12/12/2014 02:17, Jan Philips wrote:
In films of the Explorer 1 launch, after it gets off the pad a little,
there is a light on the rocket, at about the top of the first stage.
You can see it in the following video, starting about 2:45 into the
video. What is that light? Is it a reflection off something or what?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfMIrKkzRx8

Don't know if it helps, but here's a good quality photo that appears to
show the light.


http://www.replayphotos.com/apphotostore/space-print/jupiter-c-missile-blasts_198073.cfm

To my eyes the light appears to be on the shroud covering stage 3. Stage
3 consisted of a cluster of 3 Sergeant solid-propellant motors.

It's also worth searching for Juno I & Juno II.

Taking my own advice I found that there was a 3-volume JPL Technical
Report published in 1960 that was a "summary of Jet Propulsion
Laboratory space-flight activities utilizing the Juno I and Juno II
rocket-vehicle configurations."

It is Technical Report No. 32-31.

It may be available elsewhere, but I found it he

www.scribd.com

Vol. 1 98 pp covers Juno I from 1954
Vol. 2 92 pp covers Juno II & Pioneer III/IV
Vol. 3 34 pp covers Juno II & earth satellites

Vol. 1 would appear to be the most interesting.

This website was also of interest:


http://ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2005/06/stuff_eng_davidoff_explorer.htm

--

Brian W Lawrence
Wantage
Oxfordshire