Posted: Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 6:35 AM ET (1135 GMT)
William Pickering, the former long-time director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory who led the effort to launch the first American satellite, passed away Monday at the age of 93. Pickering, a native of New Zealand, was director of JPL from 1954 to 1976, a period where the center transitioned from a lab for developing rockets for the US Army to NASA's lead center for planetary exploration. Pickering is best known for managing the development of Explorer 1, the first American satellite launched in January 1958.

Related Links:

•  Los Angeles Times article
•  Reuters article
•  AP article
•  NASA press release