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The Start of the Space Race
Americans who happened to be gazing at the stars on Friday, October 4, 1957, may have noticed an object crossing the evening sky. Radio listeners, too, may have heard “beep, beep, beep” coming from their radios. An important event had occurred in the Soviet Union. The Soviets had launched an artificial satellite into orbit around Earth. The satellite was named Sputnik, Russian for “traveling companion.” It sent the beeping radio signals as it orbited the globe.