Feature Astronomy

Sputnik + 50

Remembering the dawn of the space age

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

 

A8896_1129.JPG In the fall of 1957, the Russians created a sensation and sparked the space race when they launched Sputnik 1, the first satellite to orbit Earth. JPL/NASA; (lyrics) © Jerry Englerth/The Songwriters Advocate Music—BMI

DUDNIK. With news cameras ready to record the liftoff of the first U.S. satellite and this country’s answer to Sputnik, the rocket launching Vanguard TV-3 exploded at an altitude of 4 feet on Dec.