The Space Race Begins

Soviet Fires Earth Satellite into Space,” shouted The New York Times headline. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first human-made satellite into space. Sputnik measured just 23 inches across. Yet, the paper called the launch “an achievement of profound scientific significance for all mankind.”

Both Soviet and U.S. scientists had talked about plans to send scientific instruments into Earth orbit. Neither nation knew the other’s precise dates, but U.S. scientists suspected the Soviet launch could come soon. Still, the Soviet Union’s success stunned many Americans. The launch worried them, too.

After World War II (1939–1945), the United States and the Soviet Union had engaged in a Cold War. The countries launch supported Soviet claims that they were ahead in those efforts. It launched a Space Race.