Philosophy
Спутник-1 or Sputnik-1Sputnik audio
Sputnik means "traveling companion". Despite the innocuous sounding name, the launch of planet Earth's first artificial moon, Sputnik 1, by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, changed the world and set in motion events which resulted in the creation of NASA and the race to the Moon. Sputnik 1 was a 184 pound, 22 inch diameter sphere with four whip antennas connected to battery powered transmitters. The transmitters broadcast a continuous "beeping" signal to an astounded earthbound audience for 23 days. A short month later, on November 3, the Soviet Union followed this success by launching a dog into orbit aboard Sputnik 2.
One wonders if Sputnik launched during the International Geophysical Year [1957-1958] was more political than scientific...Cold War politics..."who rules space, rules the world"?
History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a beach ball (58 cm.or 22.8 inches in diameter), weighed only 83.6 kg. or 183.9 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the U.S.-U.S.S.R space race.
The story begins in 1952, when the International Council of Scientific Unions decided to establish July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958, as the International Geophysical Year (IGY) because the scientists knew that the cycles of solar activity would be at a high point then. In October 1954, the council adopted a resolution calling for artificial satellites to be launched during the IGY to map the Earth's surface.
In July 1955, the White House announced plans to launch an Earth-orbiting satellite for the IGY and solicited proposals from various Government research agencies to undertake development. In September 1955, the Naval Research Laboratory's Vanguard proposal was chosen to represent the U.S. during the IGY.
The Sputnik launch changed everything. As a technical achievement, Sputnik caught the world's attention and the American public off-guard. Its size was more impressive than Vanguard's intended 3.5-pound payload. In addition, the public feared that the Soviets' ability to launch satellites also translated into the capability to launch ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons from Europe to the U.S. Then the Soviets struck again; on November 3, Sputnik II was launched, carrying a much heavier payload, including a dog named Laika.
Immediately after the Sputnik I launch in October, the U.S. Defense Department responded to the political furor by approving funding for another U.S. satellite project. As a simultaneous alternative to Vanguard, Wernher von Braun and his Army Redstone Arsenal team began work on the Explorer project.
On January 31, 1958, the tide changed, when the United States successfully launched Explorer I. This satellite carried a small scientific payload that eventually discovered the magnetic radiation belts around the Earth, named after principal investigator James Van Allen. The Explorer program continued as a successful ongoing series of lightweight, scientifically useful spacecraft.
The Sputnik launch also led directly to the creation of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In July 1958, Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act (commonly called the "Space Act"), which created NASA as of October 1, 1958 from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and other government agencies.
- Deceased--sir Bernard Lovell
Sir Bernard Lovell August 31st, 1913 to August 6th, 2012 "Sir Bernard Lovell Dies at 98; a Radio Telescope Bears His Name" by Don R. Hecker August 8th, 2012 The New York Times Sir Bernard Lovell, a pioneer in radar and radio telescopes from the days when...
- Russian Cartoons Of The Future--1958
"Technicolor visions of the future" by Matt Novak April 25th, 2012 BBC NEWS On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union hurled a shiny silver ball into space and changed the world forever.Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to be put into Earth's...
- Igy...july 1st, 1957 To December 31st, 1958
The National Academies... Following a suggestion by NAS member Lloyd Berkner, the International Council of Scientific Unions in 1952 proposed a comprehensive series of global geophysical activities to span the period July 1957-December 1958. The International...
- "t-minus: The Race To The Moon"...new Book
T-Minus: The Race to the Moon by Jim Ottaviani Illustrated by Kevin Cannon and Zander Cannon ISBN-10: 1416949607 ISBN-13: 978-1416949602 "From Laika to the Lunar Module" by Jack Shafer July12th, 2009 The New York Times The early space race was really...
- 50 Years With Nasa
50 years is a rather short time when one considers what has been accomplished and learned from space exploration. "NASA: 50 Years of Towering Achievement" by Tony Long July 27th, 2008 Wired One of the indelible memories for anyone living through the...
Philosophy
Спутник-1 or Sputnik-1--science; politics
Спутник-1 or Sputnik-1Sputnik means "traveling companion". Despite the innocuous sounding name, the launch of planet Earth's first artificial moon, Sputnik 1, by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, changed the world and set in motion events which resulted in the creation of NASA and the race to the Moon. Sputnik 1 was a 184 pound, 22 inch diameter sphere with four whip antennas connected to battery powered transmitters. The transmitters broadcast a continuous "beeping" signal to an astounded earthbound audience for 23 days. A short month later, on November 3, the Soviet Union followed this success by launching a dog into orbit aboard Sputnik 2.
One wonders if Sputnik launched during the International Geophysical Year [1957-1958] was more political than scientific...Cold War politics..."who rules space, rules the world"?
"Sputnik and The Dawn of the Space Age"
NASA
NASA
History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a beach ball (58 cm.or 22.8 inches in diameter), weighed only 83.6 kg. or 183.9 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the U.S.-U.S.S.R space race.
The story begins in 1952, when the International Council of Scientific Unions decided to establish July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958, as the International Geophysical Year (IGY) because the scientists knew that the cycles of solar activity would be at a high point then. In October 1954, the council adopted a resolution calling for artificial satellites to be launched during the IGY to map the Earth's surface.
In July 1955, the White House announced plans to launch an Earth-orbiting satellite for the IGY and solicited proposals from various Government research agencies to undertake development. In September 1955, the Naval Research Laboratory's Vanguard proposal was chosen to represent the U.S. during the IGY.
The Sputnik launch changed everything. As a technical achievement, Sputnik caught the world's attention and the American public off-guard. Its size was more impressive than Vanguard's intended 3.5-pound payload. In addition, the public feared that the Soviets' ability to launch satellites also translated into the capability to launch ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons from Europe to the U.S. Then the Soviets struck again; on November 3, Sputnik II was launched, carrying a much heavier payload, including a dog named Laika.
Immediately after the Sputnik I launch in October, the U.S. Defense Department responded to the political furor by approving funding for another U.S. satellite project. As a simultaneous alternative to Vanguard, Wernher von Braun and his Army Redstone Arsenal team began work on the Explorer project.
On January 31, 1958, the tide changed, when the United States successfully launched Explorer I. This satellite carried a small scientific payload that eventually discovered the magnetic radiation belts around the Earth, named after principal investigator James Van Allen. The Explorer program continued as a successful ongoing series of lightweight, scientifically useful spacecraft.
The Sputnik launch also led directly to the creation of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In July 1958, Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act (commonly called the "Space Act"), which created NASA as of October 1, 1958 from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and other government agencies.
- Deceased--sir Bernard Lovell
Sir Bernard Lovell August 31st, 1913 to August 6th, 2012 "Sir Bernard Lovell Dies at 98; a Radio Telescope Bears His Name" by Don R. Hecker August 8th, 2012 The New York Times Sir Bernard Lovell, a pioneer in radar and radio telescopes from the days when...
- Russian Cartoons Of The Future--1958
"Technicolor visions of the future" by Matt Novak April 25th, 2012 BBC NEWS On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union hurled a shiny silver ball into space and changed the world forever.Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to be put into Earth's...
- Igy...july 1st, 1957 To December 31st, 1958
The National Academies... Following a suggestion by NAS member Lloyd Berkner, the International Council of Scientific Unions in 1952 proposed a comprehensive series of global geophysical activities to span the period July 1957-December 1958. The International...
- "t-minus: The Race To The Moon"...new Book
T-Minus: The Race to the Moon by Jim Ottaviani Illustrated by Kevin Cannon and Zander Cannon ISBN-10: 1416949607 ISBN-13: 978-1416949602 "From Laika to the Lunar Module" by Jack Shafer July12th, 2009 The New York Times The early space race was really...
- 50 Years With Nasa
50 years is a rather short time when one considers what has been accomplished and learned from space exploration. "NASA: 50 Years of Towering Achievement" by Tony Long July 27th, 2008 Wired One of the indelible memories for anyone living through the...