Fifty years ago today, Oct. 4, 1957, the Space Age began when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man made satellite.
I remember the date because a Junior High Science teacher thought it was important enough to memorize, but no, I personally
have no memories of that day.
Many changes in the last 50 years. Postage stamps were only 3 cents. Leave it to Beaver was having its
first debute. Newspapers were full of the desegregation of Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas. Canada rolled out their
first supersonic jet aircraft, Arrow. No, I can’t remember
all that, I looked it up.
Claudia Meydrech remembers that eventual day:
I was outside as my Dad pointed out Sputnik in the sky (he was an Engineer in the aeronautics department of a big company, involved in a number of space related projects when the “space race” began)
Reading back through various news articles, websites, blogs, you can get a picture of what Sputnik looked like. The launch of the first
man-made satellite to go into orbit. Americans were concerned. That Soviet satellite passed over our country several times a day. How did they get ahead? Cause for concern? Here is a quote from Soviet rocket designer Boris Chertok:
“We prepared the launch without any great expectations. If it were to succeed, [then] great. If not, no big deal. Because our main task was to get back to building a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.”
Spurred by fear, and not to be outdone, the Space Age began. Americans had to be the first to put a man on the moon. So many scientific advances and discoveries have come to pass as part of the race to space.
Reflecting backwards today.
Heidi