"CHANGING HISTORY & MARKING START OF SPACE RACE"

 SOVIETS LAUNCH WORLD'S FIRST ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE

Moscow (JFK+50) On October 4, 1957. the Soviet Union launched 'Sputnik I'*, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.

Sputnik, about the size of a beach ball and weighing 183.9 pounds, traveled at a speed of 18,000 mph with each orbit lasting 96.2 minutes.

Soviet news agency TASS reported...

"As a result of great intense work of scientific institutes and design bureaus, the first artificial satellite has been built."

NASA describes the event as one that changed history and marked the beginning of the space age.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was not surprised by the Soviet announcement, but he was taken aback by the reaction of shock by the citizens of his nation.  Americans could not believe the Russians were so far ahead of us.

*Sputnik would go on to complete 1,440 orbits before ending its service on January 4, 1958.

JFK+50 NOTE

The United States launched its first artificial satellite, Explorer I, on January 31, 1958.  The Sputnik launch, according to NASA, "led directly" to the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, October 1, 1958.

On November 28, 1959, Senator John F. Kennedy said..."It's not too late, these spectacular Russian gains have awakened us from our sleep.  I think we can close the gaps and pull ahead."

During the 1960 presidential campaign, JFK emphasized the U.S. was behind in the space race.  He said, "I believe in an America that is not first but, first if, but first PERIOD!"  The rest is history!

SOURCES

"Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy, Democratic Dinner, Denver, Colorado, November 28, 1959, JFK Library, www.jfklibrary.org/

"Soviets Launch First Man Made Satellite," JFK+50, October 4, 2011, www.jfk50.blogspot.com/

"Sputnik and The Dawn of the Space Age," NASA, www.nasa.gov/

Sputnik I

Photo by Andrew Butko

Museum of Cosmonautics & Rocket Technology

2008

CC BY SA 3.0

THE FIRST ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE HAS BEEN BUILT

SPUTNIK PUTS USSR FIRST IN SPACE

Moscow, USSR (JFK+50) On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union announced the successful launch of Sputnik I, the first man-made satellite to orbit the Earth.  

Sputnik traveled at a speed of 18,000 miles per hour with each orbit taking 96.2 minutes to complete.The designers, engineers and technicians of the satellite waited until 90 minutes after lift-off to inform Premier Nikita Khrushchev because they wanted to be certain of the success of the mission.

Soviet news agency TASS reported...

"As a result of great, intense work of scientific institutes and design bureaus, the first artificial satellite has been built."

Sputnik I was 23 inches in diameter and made of polished metal.  The satellite had four external radio antennas which sent out pulses until the batteries lost power after 22 days in space.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was not surprised by the announcement of the launch of Sputnik but was surprised by the reaction of shock by the American people that the Soviets were so far ahead of us in the space race.  Senator John F. Kennedy would say in his 1960 campaign that the United States should "be first in space....period!"

Sputnik completed 1,440 orbits before its service ended on Jan. 4, 1958.

Replica of Sputnik I

US National Air & Space Museum

Washington, D.C.

NSSDC, NASA Photo (2004)

NASA CREATED 55 YEARS AGO TODAY

July 29, 2013

NASA CREATED BY LAW 55 YEARS AGO TODAY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The Congress of the United States passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act 55 years ago today, July 29, 1958, creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA.

The act, signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, set up NASA as a civilian agency to operate the space program of the United States.

President John F. Kennedy would make the space effort an integral part of his New Frontier program and set the goal in 1961 to land a man on the moon before decade's end.

    Dr. William H. Pickering^ and JFK
           Mariner Spacecraft Model
             White House Oval Office 
                   NASA Photo (1961)

^William H. Pickering was Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The agency, which would begin operations on October 1, 1958, was created in the aftermath of the October 4, 1957 launch of the world's 1st man-made satellite, Sputnik, by the Soviet Union.

Earlier, on January 1, 1958,  the United States launched Explorer I, our 1st successful space satellite.

          Vehicle Assembly Building
       John F. Kennedy Space Center
            Cape Canaveral, Florida
    Photo by MrMiscellanious (2005)


Today NASA has a budget of $17.8 billion and more than 18,000 employees.  It has directed the Apollo missions to the moon as well as Skylab, the Space Station and the Space Shuttle.

JFK CALLED GUS GRISSOM FOLLOWING HIS SUCCESSFUL SPACEFLIGHT

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy placed a call by radio telephone from the White House 52 years ago today, July 29, 1961, to the Randolph and congratulated Air Force Captain Virgil "Gus" Grissom* on his successful spaceflight.

The flight, aboard the Liberty Bell 7, lasted 15 minutes and 37 seconds.

          Gus Grissom and Liberty Bell 7 
                            July 21, 1961
                            NASA Photo

*Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (1926-1967) was born in Mitchell, Indiana.   The 2nd American astronaut to fly in space, GG joined the USAF in 1944.  After WWII, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.

Gus served in the Korean War and was chosen as one of the original 7 Mercury astronauts by NASA.  

Gus Grissom died along with fellow astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee in a fire which broke out during a pre launch test in 1967.

101st AIRBORNE TO VIETNAM 48 YEARS AGO 

Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam (JFK+50) 4000 paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army arrived here in South Vietnam 48 years ago today, July 29, 1965.

Most of the operations conducted by the 101st were in the Central Highlands and the A Shau Valley.*

*During its time of service in Vietnam, the 101st earned 17 Medals of Honor for bravery in combat.

   101st Airborne Soldiers in Vietnam



DIANA AND CHARLES WED 32 YEARS AGO 

London, England (JFK+50) Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, married Lady Diana Spencer 32 years ago today, July 29, 1981, in a lavish ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral.

A television audience estimated at 750 million people watched the wedding around the world.

The service was a traditional Church of England ceremony which was presided over by the Most Reverend Robert Runcie, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The royal couple would honeymoon aboard the royal yacht Britannia which would take them on an 11 day cruise on the Mediterranean Sea.

          Prince Charles, Lady Diana, 
           Nancy and Ronald Reagan
         Reagan Library Photo (1985)

   

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

October 4, 2011


TRIP TO WASHINGTON: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                   Library of Congress
          Photo by John White (2011)


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Our recent trip to Washington included a visit to the Library of Congress.  We accessed the "Thomas Jefferson Building" via the underground tunnel from the Capitol.  


This passageway, built in 2008, enables visitors to the Capitol to directly access the Library without having to go through security a 2nd time.


The Library of Congress, which has the largest amount of shelf space & # of books of any library in the world, was established in 1800.


The original Library was housed in the Capitol until 1814 when it was put to the torch by the British during the War of 1812.


Former President Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library as a replacement & Congress accepted his 6,487 books in 1815.

                       Jennifer White 
     Tours the Library of Congress
       Photo by John White (2011)

The Library of Congress website says:


"The Jefferson concept of universality, the belief that all subjects are important to the library & the American legislature, is the philosophy & rationale behind the comprehensive collection policies of today's L of C."


The cornerstone of the Thomas Jefferson (Library of Congress) Building was laid in 1890 & the last stone of the structure was put in place on July 7, 1894.


The Library opened to the public on November 1, 1897*


*The Library of Congress today includes a collection of 33 million books & print materials.

                    Library of Congress
           Photo by John White (2011)


October 4, 1957


SOVIETS LAUNCH FIRST MAN MADE SATELLITE

              "Dawn of the Space Age"
                   by Gregory R. Todd
                       October 4, 2007


Moscow, USSR (JFK+50) The Soviet Union announced today that they have launched Sputnik (which means "traveler" in English) the 1st artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.


Sputnik traveled at a speed of 18,000 miles per hour with each orbit taking 96.2 minutes to complete.


The designers, engineers & technicians of the satellite informed Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev 90 minutes after lift-off because they wanted to be certain of the success of the mission.


Soviet news agency TASS reported:


"As a result of great, intense work of scientific institutes & design bureaus, the 1st artificial satellite has been built."*


*President Eisenhower was not surprised by the announcement of Sputnik but later he was surprised by the reaction of "shock" by the American people that the Soviets were so far ahead of us in the "space race."


Sputnik completed 1,440 orbits before its service ended on Jan. 4, 1958.


October 4,1961


JFK APPOINTS ELECTION REFORM COMMISSION


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy appointed today a bipartisan 9 member commission to address presidential election reforms.


JFK wants the commission to recommend ways for presidential candidates to be less dependent on private campaign contributions.


The President said:


"I have long thought that we must either provide a federal share in campaign costs, or reduce the cost of campaign services, or both."

October 4, 1962


FOREIGN TRADE BILL PASSED BY CONGRESS


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Kennedy's Foreign Trade Bill, which gives the President the power to negotiate tariff reductions, was passed by Congress today.


The legislation will enable the President to negotiate reductions in tariff rates up to 50%.


JFK believes the Foreign Trade Bill will improve the nation's trade abroad as well as give a much needed boost to the economy at home.