How could I forget?
Ed

October 4 1957 Sputnik launched

The Soviet Union inaugurates the "Space Age" with its launch of
Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. The spacecraft, named
Sputnik after the Russian word for "satellite," was launched at 10:29
p.m. Moscow time from the Tyuratam launch base in the Kazakh
Republic. Sputnik had a diameter of 22 inches and weighed 184
pounds and circled Earth once every hour and 36 minutes. Traveling
at 18,000 miles an hour, its elliptical orbit had an apogee (farthest
point from Earth) of 584 miles and a perigee (nearest point) of 143
miles. Visible with binoculars before sunrise or after sunset, Sputnik
transmitted radio signals back to Earth strong enough to be picked
up by amateur radio operators. Those in the United States with
access to such equipment tuned in and listened in awe as the
beeping Soviet spacecraft passed over America several times a day.
In January 1958, Sputnik's orbit deteriorated, as expected, and the
spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere.