James Van Allen was an American physicist best known for his discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts, which are zones of charged particles trapped by the Earth's magnetic field. Born on September 7, 1914, he played a significant role in the early days of space exploration, contributing to the Explorer 1 satellite mission in 1958. His work laid the foundation for understanding cosmic radiation and its effects on both space and Earth. Van Allen's research earned him numerous awards, and he became a prominent figure in the field of space science until his passing on August 9, 2018.