Sputnik program

The Sputnik program was a series of unmanned space missions launched by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s to demonstrate the viability of artificial satellites.

Related Topics:
Unmanned space mission - Soviet Union - 1950s - Artificial satellite

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The name "Sputnik" ("???????") comes from Russian language, where it means "satellite" or "fellow traveller".

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Sputnik 1, The world's first artificial satellitehttp://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik/, was launched on October 4, 1957.

Related Topics:
Sputnik 1 - October 4 - 1957

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Sputnik 2 was launched some months later, and carried the first living passenger, a dog named Laika.

Related Topics:
Sputnik 2 - Dog - Laika

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The mission planners did not provide for the safe return of the spacecraft or its passenger, making Laika the first space casualty.

Related Topics:
Spacecraft - Passenger - Casualty

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The first attempt to launch Sputnik 3 on February 3, 1958 failed, but the second on May 15 succeeded, and it carried a large array of instruments for geophysical research.

Related Topics:
Sputnik 3 - February 3 - 1958 - May 15 - Geophysical

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Its tape recorder failed, however, making it unable to measure the Van Allen radiation belts.

Related Topics:
Tape recorder - Van Allen radiation belt

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Sputnik 4 was launched into orbit two years later on May 15, 1960.

Related Topics:
Sputnik 4 - May 15 - 1960

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Sputnik 5 was launched into orbit on August 19, 1960 with the dogs Belka and Strelka, 40 mice, 2 rats and a variety of plants on-board. The spacecraft returned to earth the next day and all animals were recovered safely.

Related Topics:
Sputnik 5 - August 19 - 1960 - Belka and Strelka - Mice - Rat - Plant

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All Sputniks were carried to orbit by the R-7 launch vehicle, originally designed to carry nuclear warheads.

Related Topics:
Orbit - R-7 launch vehicle - Nuclear warhead

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The surprise launch of Sputnik 1, coupled with the spectacular failure of the first two Project Vanguard launch attempts, shocked the United States, which responded with a number of early satellite launches including Explorer I, Project SCORE, Advanced Research Projects Agency and Courier 1B. Sputnik also led to the creation of NASA and major increases in U.S. Government spending on scientific research and education. See: Sputnik crisis.

Related Topics:
Project Vanguard - United States - Explorer I - Project SCORE - Advanced Research Projects Agency - Courier 1B - NASA - Sputnik crisis

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