From Orbit to Newsroom: How Sputnik-1 Inspired Name of Sputnik News Agency
From Orbit to Newsroom: How Sputnik-1 Inspired Name of Sputnik News Agency
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched PS-1 — the first artificial Earth satellite — into space.
A metal sphere just 58 centimetres in diameter and weighing 83.6 kilograms, it transmitted its famous "beep-beep" signal on two frequencies, picked up not only by special stations but also by ordinary radio amateurs across the world.
The satellite marked the beginning of the space age and gave its name to Sputnik news agency.
What has changed in 68 years:
Science — automated spacecraft have reached the Moon, Venus, and Mars, made soft landings, and entered orbit.
Weather — Earth observation satellites provide near-real-time images of the surface: for emergency forecasting, forestry, agriculture, and ecology.
Navigation — satellite systems are used for aviation, railways, shipping, and agriculture throughout the world.
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