oct 4, 1957 - Successful Launch of Sputnik I
Description:
The launching of Sputnik I marked the official start to the Space Race. The world's first satellite, no larger than 58 cm in diameter and only taking 98 minutes to orbit the earth, was created by the USSR (Soviet Union) and proved to be a real success. Not only did the United States see this as a technological advancement from the USSR, but also as a threat. The US figured that if the USSR could launch satellites then they could have the capability of launching missiles with nuclear weapons to target any country from above. From here, the US is pulled in and the Space Race evolves.
Added to timeline:
The Space Race
Date:
Images:
![]()
