Pick any date since Sputnik. See what was happening in space — what flew, who was up there, and where the planets were.
1957 – 1961
A polished sphere beeps overhead, a dog rides a rocket, and humanity realizes the sky is no longer the limit.
October 4, 1957
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the first human-made object to orbit Earth. The 84-kg sphere transmits radio beeps for 21 days.
ExploreNothing in our mission registry was flying on this date.
No humans were off the planet on this date.
Waxing Gibbous
83% lit