The Sputnik Program, more commonly known as "companion", is known to be a
group of numerous robotic spacecraft operations launched by the Soviet
Union. Sputnik 1, the first of these, is the first known human made
object to enter the space. Sputnik 1 was launched into the space on
October 4, 1957. The launch laid bare the expediency of the usage of
artificial sites for the exploration of upper atmosphere.
The word "sputnik" is said to have Russian origin with the literal
meaning "co-traveler", "satellite", or "travelling companion". Sputnik
1, when launched, featured a diameter measuring 58cm (23") and a weight
of 83.6 kg (183 lb.). It took about 96 minutes to complete each of the
1440 elliptical orbits.
The launch of Sputnik 1 had surprised the US as this launch was coupled
with the magnificent failure of the USA"s first two attempts for the
launch of Project Vanguard. The launch of Sputnik 1 had had a very
positive impact in the space research world. Firstly, it led to the up
come of Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, and NASA. Besides, it
had also inspired various youngsters to form a generation of engineers
and scientists. Moreover, the launch of Sputnik 1 also inspired Herb
Caen, a U.S. writer to lay claim to the term "beatnik" in the San
Francisco Chronicle about the Beat Generation.
To conclude with, it would not be wrong to say that Sputnik 1 has proved
to be not only a landmark in human space flight but has also been the
inaugurating achievement in the "Space Race". Besides, it has also given
birth to a cohort of scientists and engineers.
The cold war which began with the speech of Churchill in west minister college( Also known as Fulton speech)...It caused a lot of progress, led most of the new things...in intelligence services, in technology and what you see in our daily life.About going to Space, it was especially interesting competition. Kennedy was vowing '' It is the competition that we must not admit losing''when USSR went to the moon, Nikita Kruschev, first secretary of the USSR, said( this is especially funny), '' Now, the US is sleeping under the moon of the soviet union''
