Happy Birthday Sputnik
 

It seemed appropriate to put this in Egg Head since the tag line for this thread is "Hardware, software, tech advice and rocket science"

On this date in 1957 - 50 years ago - the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the first successful artificial satellite to be put into orbit. Thus began a fierce space race and cold war between the US and the Soviet Union.

NASA's take on the subject

Or if you prefer, the view from the Moscow News

And the obligatory pretty picture:

Harrumph! NPR had Spunik sounds this morning!

Google has a nice dedication to it today.

Wow.

Harrumph retracted, I clicked the NASA link (now that it's lunch and I can browse more freely).

Sorry Kevy, I spoke too soon. Quelle Moron!:blush:

My Grandpa (who was a structural engineer) told stories about Sputnik.

The week after it went up, US Government representatives started showing up at university and private research centers asking "How much do you need?"

And thus was JPL built.

God bless the Russians!

I'm really hoping the Chinese get their collective butt's in gear and put a man on the moon or even head for mars.....