Sputnik means “traveling companion”. Despite the innocuous sounding name, the launch of the Earth's first “artificial moon”, Sputnik 1 , by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957 shocked the free world, setting 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 .
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Credit: Courtesy NASA History Office