A small round shiny metal object, weighing roughly 187 pounds or 84 kg approximately, was launched in Earth orbit on 4th of October, 1957. It transmitted a strange sound caught first by ham radio listeners in the UK and soon by others around the world. Hours after the news of its launch, people turned to the skies and looked in amazment. Its second stage and shroud were visible to the naked eye, and all around the world where captivated by this 'second moon' of the Earth! It mere 'Beep Beep Beep' sound changed the way people viewed the skies, the way they thought of space and heralded a new era of bold events that have made us a spacefaring civilization.
John Logsdon, the Director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University was quoted recently as stating that
'Without the Sputnik, there would not have been an Apollo'.
Rightly so. Sputnik paved the way for bringing correct meteorogical information, navigational information, helping carry out search and rescue operations around the world, bring timely news and warming systems in effect, adaquate natural resource characterization, entertainment, etc via satellites! It brought together young people who were inspired by the images of Earth, be it the grand spaceship we travel on through space, or the fragile planet we should be caring for. But one thing was certain, for ALL, it proved that gravity cannot hold our dreams forever.
Today, on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, few of the Council members of SGAC have been able to contribute to this message on how Sputnik and hence the Space Era has inspired them. Like all our members, these space advocates are young people, none that were present at the time of Sputnik's flight, but all that will help shape the next 50 years of space.
"At the time of the flight of Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin, John Glennn, Neil Amstrong didnot know how successful they would become in the coming years, and if they did have an idea at all, I am sure they surpassed all their expectations! They have undoubtedly changed the way engineers, scientists, policy makers, etc have thought of the skies before and you never know, you may do the same in the coming years. Ad Astra!"
-- Bee Thakore, Regional co-Cordinator Asia Pacific; National Point of Contact, India
"Sputnik was a simple machine that must have added an additional dimension to our thoughts about science and technology and what we could do. I can't say that certainly since I am two generations removed from the act itself, but its ongoing legacy speaks to what a leap it must have been at the time."
-- Kirk Kittell, Regional co-Cordinator North America;
"Space has always been very inspiring for me since I was a child up till this moment that I am an adult. I believe that space is one thing that not only can inspire young people today, but also can facilitate the unity of the different peoples on this planet, in contrast to them conflicting and unhealthily competing with each other.
Sputnik started space for all of us - I think that this is truly historic."
--Nyeng Gyang, Regional co-cordinator Africa.
And... we wish you all a happy Space Week that follows!
A message by our Executive Director, Chris Boshuizen
I hope you are also enjoying some space-related festivities this week. It would be fantastic to see how widely this important milestone is celebrated around the world, so if there is an event in your part of the world, please post it on the World Space Week Calendar at www.worldspaceweek.org.
4 October 1957: The dawning of the space age.
4 October 2007: Happy Birthday Sputnik, and welcome to the next 50 years of space travel!
Best wishes to all.
On behalf of all SGAC Council members,
Bee
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