1957 - Sputnik launched (tomorrow)

[GeneCash]

Oct. 4, 1957 - The Soviets orbited the very first object, Sputnik I, beating the Americans and Kerbals into space.

Interesting note: 1957 is as far from 2014 as it is from 1900 (57 years)

Another interesting note: !957 was International Geophysical Year, which was pretty much "the year for doing science" and the Soviets said "we're going to put something into orbit for IGY". Everybody else said "pshht, yeah, right-o."

I remember IGY because as a kid, the encyclopedia Year Books had a ton of info on it.

[Javster]

*1957

You wrote !957

The really amazing statistic is the time between the first orbit and the first manned Moon landing and return was only 12 years...

[Javster]

Has no one replied to this except me? Weird, would have thought this is an interesting topic.

[Rjhere]

You know Javster, that is very interesting... just don't tease the lunar landing conspiracy lunatics, but I see your point c:

According to that evolution, we shoulda landed on every moon and planet out there..

[CatastrophicFailure]

You know Javster, that is very interesting... just don't tease the lunar landing conspiracy lunatics, but I see your point c:

According to that evolution, we shoulda landed on every moon and planet out there..

... And yet we can't even get off the planet without bumming a ride from the very same guys who launched that first satellite....