Space pioneer James Van Allen, 91, dies

Dr. James A. Van Allen, U.S. space pioneer died Wednesday morning, Aug. 9, of heart failure at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He was 91.

Van Allen’s most widely known contribution was the 1958 discovery of radiation belts, now called Van Allen belts, encircling the Earth. He also is credited with discovery of a new moon of Saturn in 1979, as well as radiation belts around that planet.

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