Discoverer 1 was launched on February 28, 1959, by the United States Air Force under the Central Intelligence Agency's Corona program, marking a significant attempt to establish satellite reconnaissance capabilities during the Cold War. As the first satellite designed for a polar orbit, its intention was to utilize a trajectory that would allow it to pass over the entire surface of the Earth, thereby gathering crucial intelligence from regions that were difficult to monitor otherwise. The satellite's launch took place from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, which was strategically chosen for such polar missions.

Unfortunately, shortly after liftoff, the satellite encountered technical difficulties and did not reach its intended orbit. This failure was a setback for U.S. reconnaissance efforts at a time when intelligence on Soviet military capabilities was of utmost importance. The importance of the Discoverer missions was not just in their immediate objectives but also in their role in advancing the space technology that would support future successful launches. The subsequent Discoverer missions built upon the lessons learned from this initial failure and paved the way for improved designs and better reliability in satellite launches.

The Discoverer 1 operation involved collaboration between various agencies, including both military and intelligence personnel, reflecting the growing interconnection between defense and technology sectors during this period. Although it did not succeed in its primary mission, Discoverer 1 was foundational to the eventual development of more sophisticated reconnaissance assets and set the framework for subsequent successful missions that contributed significantly to U.S. intelligence-gathering capabilities.