Within A Couple Of Decades, Global Communication Has Gone

This lasted from July 1, 1957 - December 31, 1958. The IGY was an eighteen month geophysical observation period consisting of about thirty thousand scientists and technicians from about seventy different countries. Scientists occupied about twenty-five hundred different stations worldwide, which cost about $500 million. The IGY tried to simultaneously observe the eleven fields of earth, near-earth, and solar earth: aurora and airglow, cosmic rays, geomagnetism, glaciology, gravity, ionospheric physics, latitude and longitude determination, meteorology, oceanography, seismology, and solar activity. The IGY oversaw the launching of the first artificial earth satellites, starting the age of space exploration. Many people were skeptical about the Soviet Union’s technical ability, but under Korolyov’s leadership, the Soviet Union not only created the intercontinental ballistic missile, but Sputnik 1 and 2 in 1957 (Burstyn 388). Sputnik 1 was launched on October 4, 1957, at Gagarin’s Spot. After the Soviet Union’s success with Sputnik 1, President Eisenhower pressed to have the United States’ satellite, Vanguard, finished as quickly as possible. On December 6, the Vanguard rocket rose only slightly off the launch pad before exploding and landing on a beach in Florida. More discoveries and inventions were made throughout 1958 as well, including the discovery of the Van Allen

Satellite TV was technically made in the space race because they needed satellites in order to communicate to the astronauts that are in space. Then they used it for getting television channels across the whole entire world. 1960’s NASA

The first unmanned satellite called “Sputnik 1” launched and sent to the space by Soviet Union in 1957.

During the Space Race, the first orbital satellites were sent to outer space. Today, Americans can communicate, predict the weather, and study geodetics because of the satellites that first orbited in space.All satellites and space probes carry specialized radios receiving and transmitting equipment for guidance and control purposes as well as relaying data from space to Earth. Without the first satellite transmission of a human voice in 1958, communication would not be as efficient (Rabinowitch, 1963).

From this technological race came the “Space Race” that led to mankind’s first steps towards exploring the universe beyond Earth. The first move of the Space Race occurred when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first satellite to successfully travel in space, on October 4, 1957. The satellite orbited the Earth for more than ninety days, and its sole capability was to emit a beeping noise only audible on certain radio frequencies (“National Debate Topic…”). The first U.S. satellite, named Explorer 1, was sent into orbit just three months later on January 31, 1958. From these technological advances developed new, more challenging goals such as sending a man into space, which called for the national funding of a program that could push the United States into the forefront of the fight. Thus, NASA was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which President Eisenhower signed on July 29, 1958 (“Creation of NASA” 261). This moment did not officially begin the NASA however; the program truly began in 1915 with the creation of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The stated goal of the Committee was to “…supervise and direct the

In October of 1957 the first artificial Earth satellite was launched by the Soviet Union into an elliptical low Earth orbit; Sputnik. Being visible all around the Earth and having its radio pulses detectable, this was a surprise success that caused the American Sputnik crisis (a period of public fear and anxiety having awareness of the technological gap between the United States and Soviet Union). This surprise success triggered the Space Race, a 20th-century competition between the Soviet Union and the United States for supremacy in spaceflight capability, while ushering in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments.

“Even before the first satellite was launched, U.S. leaders recognized that the ability to observe military activities around the world from space would be an asset to national security… Intelligence-gathering satellites have been used to verify arms-control agreements, provide warnings of military threats, and identify targets during military operations, among other uses” (Space Exploration). During an age when nuclear threats loomed upon both the U.S. and the USSR with frightening reality, it was crucial for intelligence agencies of both nations to gather as much information as possible about the other’s missile programs and operations. This created the demand for orbiting satellites that would send back crucial information. Another benefit of orbital satellite reconnaissance was the low risk involved. In 1960, an American U-2 spy plane flying over the Soviet Union on a reconnaissance mission was shot down by the Soviets. “The Soviets managed to shoot down Powers's U-2 and capture the American pilot” (U-2 Affair). The pilot was imprisoned, CIA operations were revealed, and the U.S. was under a huge international embarrassment. Launching satellites does not risk losing human lives, leaking secret information, or losing national integrity during unexpected occasions such as the U-2

A ballistic missile roared off the launch pad on October 4, 1957 carrying a 184-pound metal sphere settled on the pentacle of the R-7. This sphere, Sputnik, would be the first artificial satellite sailing in space. Sputnik would inaugurate the space race and intensify the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. Mikhail Tikhonravov a soviet scientist

One of the greatest achievements from many during the space race was that the Soviet Union sent the first satellite into space. This was a great achievement because satellites were used a lot and were necessary during the space race. The first satellite sent to space was known as ¨sputnik¨ and was sent on October 4,1957 by the Soviet nation during the first year of the race. According to history.com it stated, ¨ Sputnik 1 remained in orbit until January 4, 1958, when it burned up on reentering Earth atmosphere¨. Later, during the race more of these satellites were used and marking more achievements.

Besides the development of nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM’s) were introduced in the 1950’s providing a more effective strategic delivery system during the first stage of the Cold War. It is not a surprised the Soviet Union had missiles able to reach any part of the planet when they launched the Sputnik satellite into space on October 4, 1957. Three months after the launch of Sputnik, on January 1958, the United States launched their first satellite, Explorer

The Soviet Union introduces the Space Age with its dispatch of Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. The shuttle was named Sputnik after the Russian word for "satellite.” Sputnik had a distance across of 22 inches, weighed 184 pounds and circled Earth every hour and a half. Going at 18,000 miles 60 minutes, its curved circle had an apogee (most distant point from Earth) of 584 miles and a perigee (closest point) of 143 miles. Unnoticeable with binoculars before dawn or after dusk, Sputnik transmitted radio signals back to Earth sufficiently solid to be grabbed by novice radio administrators. Those in the United States with access to such gear tuned in and listened in awe as the beeping Soviet rocket passed America a few times each

On October 7, 1957, the Space Age had officially began. The USSR sent a satellite, ‘Sputnik’, into orbit around Earth(History.com-soviet union launches sputnik). The journey lasted less than 100 minutes, but it was a landmark occasion nonetheless and the Soviet Union had sent a message to the capitalist world. On the satellite ‘Sputnik’ was a radio transmitter which allowed Soviet scientists to track it as it orbited the Earth. This signal

This October marks the 60th anniversary of Russia launching the first unmanned satellite into space. Sputnik, which means “fellow traveler” in Russian, weighed 184 pounds, measured 22.8 inches in diameter, and had two radio transmitters on board. Even though Sputnik was only a hunk of metal, the symbolism of this accomplishment had dramatic impacts on the development of American culture during this time period. The launch of Sputnik had an important impact on America and it’s foreign, domestic and economic policies that evolved as a result of this launch.

The Soviet Scientist that created Sputnik 1 knew little about outer space when designing it. Upon its launch in 1957, the Soviet Union became pioneers in space as Sputnik 1 because the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth. Additionally, Sputnik 1 helped the Soviets expand their knowledge about space as the learned about the density of the atmosphere from Sputnik 1’s orbit. Consequentially, the launch of Sputnik 1 had geopolitical effects as it initiated the now infamous “Space Race” between the United States and the Soviet Union. America would respond by launching Explorer 1 into in 1958, and both sides researched and developed their satellite technology over the next few years.

The ability to observe Earth from outer space dramatically improved weather models. As a result, weather forecasts are more accurate. Satellites also play a critical role in global telecommunications. The conveniences of satellite radio, satellite television, and Global Positioning Systems (GPSs) are all made possible by spacecraft.