Laureates of the Japan Prize

Dr. Pickering, as a Director of the JPL, the California Institute of Technology, had made many pioneering contributions to space technologies such as the development of spacecraft as a means for space exploration, and the development of deep space communications network for data acquisition for 32 years. Owing to his command and guidance technologies, the USA's first artificial satellite "Explorer 1" was launched in 1958. And "Pioneer 4", the design of which was led by him, succeeded in becoming the first U.S. man made object to escape from the Earth's gravitational field in 1959. He developed new technologies for digital communications and high definition television. His achievements have made significant contributions to the "expansion of mankind's active domain to outer space". His technologies have been applied in many fields and have contributed to the welfare of mankind.