58-years-ago Sputnik started the space race: originally published on 10/3/2015

On this date, October 4, 58 years ago, the Soviet Unionlaunched Sputnik. It was at 10:29 pm Moscow time that the rocket carrying the satellite blasted off from the Tyuratam launch site in the Kazakh Republic. The ascension of the satellite delivered the first blow in what would become known as the “space race”.

Once in space the 22-inch diameter satellite began orbiting the Earth at a speed of 29,000 kpm (18,000 mph). As it orbited the Earth the radio equipment in the satellite would transmitted a series of beeps & whistles that were picked up by amateur radio operators all over the world. The signals being transmitted didn't mean much to those amateurs but to the scientist that were also following the satellite it provided valuable information about the ionosphere of our planet. After 21days the transmission stopped when the batteries that powered Sputnik wore out.

The satellite remained in orbit for a couple of months after the power ran down. In January Sputnik finally gave up and fell out of orbit on a free fall back to Earth. On January 4, 1958 the beach ball sized satellite burned up in Earth's atmosphere ending the mission of the first man made object to orbit the Earth. Shortly after Sputnik burned up the United States answered with their own satellite, called Explorer, that launched on January 31, 1958. 

Over the next decade this back and forth “space race” would continue and progress from satellites to sending men into space. For much of the race the United State played catch up to the Soviet Union. That changed though in the late 1960's when it was the United States took the front seat when it came to sending a rocket to the Moon.