THE LAUNCH OF A NEW ERA - SPUTNIK ORBITS THE EARTH
Saturday, October 5th, 1957
“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction,” said President John F. Kennedy. The Soviet Union clearly has a purpose and a direction – to beat us in the race to develop technology that will control outer space. The Soviet Union announced this morning, much to our surprise, that it had successfully launched the first satellite called Sputnik, into the Earth’s orbit last night. Emphasizing that it had put a scientific instrument into space before the United States, the Soviet Union instigated ‘Space Race’tensions. The United States was conducting intensive plans for launching an artificial Earth satellite as well. After the failed secret launch in Florida in September of last year, the United States was preparing a new attempt and was willing to pay any price to accomplish this priority. Washington had disclosed plans to launch this satellite next spring; however the Soviets have beaten us to it. Despite the sour taste of defeat going around, Sputnik and the nature of its launch will now be used as an example as to how the U.S. can launch its own bigger and better missions.
The Moscow statement said the Soviet Union was planning to send up bigger and heavier satellites during the current International Geophysical Year as well, an eighteen-month period of study of the Earth, its crust and the space surrounding it. America, however, is now more concerned as to what the Sputnik is like compared to developments of our satellite, and how we can better our technology to match up to the Sputnik.
Sputnik is a metal sphere about 2 feet in diameter, weighing 184 pounds with long "whiskers" on one side. It is planning to stay in orbit for 6 months before returning back to Earth. Its rocket booster, weighing 4 tons, also reached orbit and was visible from the ground. The official Soviet news agency TASS (Telegrafnoje Agentstvo Sovietskovo Soïuza) said the rocket that carried the satellite into space left the Earth at a rate of five miles per second. The Soviets calculated the satellite's orbit at 560 miles above the Earth and its speed at 18,000 miles an hour. According to the TASS announcement, Sputnik is circling the earth once every hour and thirty-five minutes; more than fifteen times a day.
Two radio transmitters are sending signals continuously with frequencies strong enough to be picked up by simple radio stations and operators. The course of the satellite is being tracked by numerous scientific stations all over the U.S.S.R. The Soviet Union said Sputnik had “opened the way to inter-planetary travel.” However, it did not lose the chance to use the launching for propaganda purposes as well. It said in its announcement that people now could see how "the powerful communist society" had turned the boldest dreams of mankind into reality. Moscow said the satellite was the result of years of study and research on the part of Soviet scientists.
TASS said; "As a result of intensive work by the research institutes and design bureaus, the first artificial earth satellite in the world has now been created. This first satellite was successfully launched in the U.S.S.R. onOctober 4th."American fears are now growing with the mindset that if the Soviet Union could send satellites into space, they could also launch nuclear missiles at American cities and communities. The satellites could not be used to drop atomic bombs or anything else on the earth, scientists have said, however these statements have neither lessened fears of Americans nor put them at ease.
The real significance of Sputnik, however, is in providing scientists with important new information concerning the nature of the sun, cosmic radiation, solar radio interference and many other occurrences radiating from the north and south magnetic poles. Publicly, Soviet scientists have approached the launching of the satellite with modesty and caution. At the start of the International Geophysical Year last June they specially rejected a desire to "race" the United States into the atmosphere with the sphere. Nevertheless, their launch has begun a new challenge for the United Sates – to launch its own space missions and in particular, sending a person into space. In terms of future effects, as mentioned earlier, the U.S. is aiming for a larger look into space and might even develop an official administration to go about it. We will keep you updated regarding any future developments from the Soviet side with their satellites or from our side regarding higher aspirations of a man in space or a possible Congress-created national administration.
- Written By:
Sanjana Varma
Saturday, October 5th, 1957
“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction,” said President John F. Kennedy. The Soviet Union clearly has a purpose and a direction – to beat us in the race to develop technology that will control outer space. The Soviet Union announced this morning, much to our surprise, that it had successfully launched the first satellite called Sputnik, into the Earth’s orbit last night. Emphasizing that it had put a scientific instrument into space before the United States, the Soviet Union instigated ‘Space Race’tensions. The United States was conducting intensive plans for launching an artificial Earth satellite as well. After the failed secret launch in Florida in September of last year, the United States was preparing a new attempt and was willing to pay any price to accomplish this priority. Washington had disclosed plans to launch this satellite next spring; however the Soviets have beaten us to it. Despite the sour taste of defeat going around, Sputnik and the nature of its launch will now be used as an example as to how the U.S. can launch its own bigger and better missions.
The Moscow statement said the Soviet Union was planning to send up bigger and heavier satellites during the current International Geophysical Year as well, an eighteen-month period of study of the Earth, its crust and the space surrounding it. America, however, is now more concerned as to what the Sputnik is like compared to developments of our satellite, and how we can better our technology to match up to the Sputnik.
Sputnik is a metal sphere about 2 feet in diameter, weighing 184 pounds with long "whiskers" on one side. It is planning to stay in orbit for 6 months before returning back to Earth. Its rocket booster, weighing 4 tons, also reached orbit and was visible from the ground. The official Soviet news agency TASS (Telegrafnoje Agentstvo Sovietskovo Soïuza) said the rocket that carried the satellite into space left the Earth at a rate of five miles per second. The Soviets calculated the satellite's orbit at 560 miles above the Earth and its speed at 18,000 miles an hour. According to the TASS announcement, Sputnik is circling the earth once every hour and thirty-five minutes; more than fifteen times a day.
Two radio transmitters are sending signals continuously with frequencies strong enough to be picked up by simple radio stations and operators. The course of the satellite is being tracked by numerous scientific stations all over the U.S.S.R. The Soviet Union said Sputnik had “opened the way to inter-planetary travel.” However, it did not lose the chance to use the launching for propaganda purposes as well. It said in its announcement that people now could see how "the powerful communist society" had turned the boldest dreams of mankind into reality. Moscow said the satellite was the result of years of study and research on the part of Soviet scientists.
TASS said; "As a result of intensive work by the research institutes and design bureaus, the first artificial earth satellite in the world has now been created. This first satellite was successfully launched in the U.S.S.R. onOctober 4th."American fears are now growing with the mindset that if the Soviet Union could send satellites into space, they could also launch nuclear missiles at American cities and communities. The satellites could not be used to drop atomic bombs or anything else on the earth, scientists have said, however these statements have neither lessened fears of Americans nor put them at ease.
The real significance of Sputnik, however, is in providing scientists with important new information concerning the nature of the sun, cosmic radiation, solar radio interference and many other occurrences radiating from the north and south magnetic poles. Publicly, Soviet scientists have approached the launching of the satellite with modesty and caution. At the start of the International Geophysical Year last June they specially rejected a desire to "race" the United States into the atmosphere with the sphere. Nevertheless, their launch has begun a new challenge for the United Sates – to launch its own space missions and in particular, sending a person into space. In terms of future effects, as mentioned earlier, the U.S. is aiming for a larger look into space and might even develop an official administration to go about it. We will keep you updated regarding any future developments from the Soviet side with their satellites or from our side regarding higher aspirations of a man in space or a possible Congress-created national administration.
- Written By:
Sanjana Varma