| THE FORMATION OF NASA | ||
History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik 1. The world's first artificial satellite was the size of a basketball, weighed only 183 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the U.S./U.S.S.R. space race. The Soviets struck again on November 3, 1957 when Sputnik II was launched, carrying a much heavier payload, including a dog named Laika. |
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