CalTech/JPL

Height: 25ft.
Width: 18 ft.
Length: 55 ft.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory offers parade viewers a passport to an-out-of-this-world celebration – saluting “50 Years of Space Exploration.” A half-century ago (Jan., 1958) JPL’s Explorer 1 became America’s first satellite to reach Earth orbit. In the years that have followed, JPL, as a part of NASA, has blazed a rocket trail across the solar system as well as peering out into the stars and galaxies beyond. The satellite that started it all – Explorer 1 – is depicted firing off the launch pad, at the center of the float. In its wake arises a collection of historic JPL robotic explorers as well as planetary ports of call. On one of the solar panels of the spacecraft nearest the Explorer 1 is displayed a “floragraphic” representation of the pioneers whose vision ignited the spark for U.S. space exploration. Also ascending from Explorer’s fiery plume are a Martian orbiter and a six-wheeled Mars Science Laboratory, which in 2010 will carry on the traditions of NASA/JPL robotics exploration – the Mars Pathfinder rover and the twin Mars rovers Spirit & Opportunity. On the other edge of the plume, climbing beyond the garland of rings surrounding the planet Saturn is JPL’s Voyager 1 – humanity’s most distant emissary – which is now on its journey into interstellar space. JPL and NASA, celebrating 50 years of exploration and discovery.

Explorer 1 is covered with light blue statice, silverleaf, ground rice and poppy seed; the rocket’s flames include daisies, roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, carnations, statice, strawflower and cut everlasting. The Rover at the front of the float is created with black seaweed, ground onion seed, silverleaf, ground rice and poppy seed. The “photograph” is created with powdered rice, onion seed, seaweed, lettuce seed and poppy seed with silverleaf and onion seed borders. The large ringed planet is created with eucalyptus leaves, statices, strawflower, ground walnut shell, lentils, and brown flax seed. The space “swirls” are decorated with white and yellow carnation petals and the “shooting stars” are everlasting and ground rice. The satellite at the rear of the float features carnation petals, ground rice, split pea, sesame seed, strawflower and statice.