Sputnik — The Space Age Begins

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, a polished aluminum sphere 58 cm in diameter weighing 83.6 kg, into low Earth orbit. Its simple radio transmitter emitted a "beep-beep-beep" that could be picked up by amateur radio operators worldwide — an audible reminder that the Soviets had beaten the United States into space. The launch stunned the American public and government, triggering what became known as the "Sputnik crisis." Within months, the U.S. created NASA, overhauled its science education system, and accelerated its own space program. Sputnik orbited for three months before burning up on reentry, but its impact was permanent: it inaugurated the Space Age, transformed the Cold War, and set humanity on the path to the Moon.