Sputnik artificial satellite: New era of space

50 years ago, on October 4, 1957, the era of space began when Russian scientists (the former Soviet Union) surpassed the Americans, launched Sputnik - the first artificial satellite of mankind into dance. cylinder. Sputnik means " companion " has been launched from Kazakhstan.

Humanity's first artificial satellite is about the size of a basketball, weighs about 83.6kg, and takes about 98 minutes to fly 32,187km around the globe.

Sputnik was on the trajectory for 3 months, and fell from the sky on January 4, 1958. The satellite has returned to Earth information from across the globe with radio signals. At the same time, it is also a temperature measuring device. The launch of the satellite began with new developments in politics, military, technology and science and technology. Sputnik marked a new era of space and a space race between the US and Russia.

Dream of flying into space

October 4, 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of one of humankind's greatest historical events: the world's first artificial satellite was launched into orbit by Russians on Earth.

The root of this achievement must be returned over 74 years ago. In 1883, for the first time, a Russian teacher named Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935) seriously discussed flying into space.

Sputnik, the first man-made satellite of a human being only about the size of a basketball, weighs about 83.6kg, was launched into orbit by Russians on October 4, 1957.(Photo: Celestiamotherlode.net)

Five decades later, he published a series of detailed studies on basic scientific principles. Then in the following years, Tsiolkovsky's writings became an inspiration for an unexpectedly energetic and talented generation of Russian engineers. They began an extremely difficult task to research and develop the techniques needed to make the dream of flying into space come true.

After World War II, with the available technology of German V-2 missiles, not only Russian scientists and engineers but Americans and Europeans soon realized that the first step to enter space - a satellite flying in Earth orbit - soon achieved.

In August 1946, Sergei Pavlovich Korolev (1907-1966) became Chief Designer for OKB-1 (abbreviated in Russian, meaning Special Design Bureau No. 1 - Special Design Bureau). OKB-1 is part of NII-88 (Scientific Research Institute 88 - Scientific Research Institute 88).

The first artificial satellite of mankind, Sputnik was launched into orbit by Russians on October 4, 1957.Sputnik is a metal sphere about 58cm in size, and weighs about 83.6kg.Although it is a remarkable achievement, Sputnik seems to be very poor compared to today's standards.Includes a thermometer, battery, radio signal generator, nitrogen gas tank to pressurize inside the satellite.Sputnik's exterior is equipped with 4 antennae for transmitting signals with shortwave frequency - 27MHz

Under Korolev, OKB-1 succeeded in copying the V-2 into a special R-1 rocket. Shortly thereafter, the rocket's design was renewed to expand the missile's ability. While Korolev's superiors are only interested in military applications of new technologies, Korolev and his close colleagues are always mindful of the dream of flying into space.

In October 1951, a deputy of Korolev, Mikhail Klavdievich Tikhonravov (1900-1974), presented a feasible project on an earth-orbiting satellite. Efforts to launch a satellite still lag behind the need to develop new weapons until 1954 when plans for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) began.

IGY aims for unprecedented collaboration between international scientists to collect data on the earth's atmospheric height and its reactions to subsequent solar cycles between 7/1957 and 12/1958.

Encouraged, Korolev wrote an article in the satellite science magazine " Earth Satellites " in 1954. On January 9, 1955, a Russian scientific group came to him and supported his satellite plan. .

On July 19, 1955, the Americans announced that they would also launch a satellite as a component of US contribution in IGY. Three days later, the Russians issued a similar statement. And it seems that both have completely ignored Western countries.

And also after that statement, in an instant, Korolev officially submitted his satellite plan to Russian leaders on August 29, 1955.

Sputnik: Name the dream

Korolev entrusted Tikhonravov's team with the design of a heavy-duty satellite called " Object D".

Object D, weighing about 1 - 1.4 tons and can carry 200-300kg of measuring equipment for geophysical industry. Object D will be launched into orbit by a special R-7 missile. These 7 missiles have been designed to serve the satellite launch of Korolev.

But for a while after that, the test of the R-7 boosters failed. That became worse for Korolev. With the series of failures of R-7, government support for him began to waver.

At that time, he even lost a loyal supporter from a senior government member, Prime Minister Nikita Krushchev. Under Kremlin pressure, Krushchev demanded to close the OKB-1.

Sputnik opened a new era of space.Illustration.(Photo: Boeing.com)

Korolev stubbornly resisted the order and continued his R-7 research work. Fortunately, on August 21, 1957, Korolev's fate changed when the M1-8 R-7 rocket was successful.

The missile sent a missile missile to the target on the Kamchatka peninsula, 6,500 km from Kazakhstan's test center "Tashkent 50". While this fake rocket head separated from the rocket at 10km above sea level, R-7 was proven and OKB-1 continued to operate.

In early September 1957, Krushchev approved the launch of a satellite, part of its own political reasons. Therefore, Korolev must present the plan to launch the satellite as soon as possible.

On September 18, Tsiolkovsky's 100th birthday, Radio Moscow announced a satellite launch will soon take place.

Throughout October 4, a lot of effort was made to launch R-7 missiles, but continuous delays occurred because of a series of technical errors due to uneven operation.

At night, Korolev decided to try again. When he himself counted down to the last seconds of the launch order, from a 100-meter missile launcher, a short hiss resounded on the concrete slab then followed by a long series of trumpets.

Finally, at 10:28:04 pm, Moscow time, 20 burning engines boosted the R-7 rocket, carrying Sputnik satellite that began to launch into space and quickly disappeared in the dark night following northeast. An hour and a half later, Sputnik began transmitting radio signals to the ground, resounding across the missile station's speakers.

No doubt, the satellite launch was successful. Sputnik weighs 83.6kg and has been correctly placed in the 65.1-degree inclined plane, circling the equator for a time of 96.17 minutes. Korolev thinks that the conquest of space has begun. On October 4, they witnessed a dream cherished by many geniuses.

The famous Russian scientist Tsiolkovsky predicted that humans did not stop at the earth. Sputnik is the proud first claim. However, a part of the world is concerned that Russia is capable of launching satellites and will also be able to launch nuclear weapons ballistic missiles from Europe to the United States. Then again, Russia made the world startle when launching Sputnik II satellite on November 3, 1957. This time, the satellite carries heavier capacity and a dog named Laika.

Russia's successful Sputnik satellite launches have become a direct cause for the establishment of the US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

In July 1958, the US Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act (often called " Space Act "). NASA was founded on October 1, 1958.

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According to NASA, Space Satellite Handbook - Anthony R. Curtis, VNN