1957
04.10. Sputnik
It was the night of October 4th, when the Soviet Union achieved to launch the first artificial satellite into the Earths’ orbit at 00:50 local time. One month later, on November 3rd, Sputnik II followed, containing the first living being, a dog called Laika, to reach the Earths’ orbit. This was a huge success for the Soviet Union, but the Western world was shocked.
The shock in the western world: Sputnik I
The USA and Western Europe bitterly recognized that their claim of technical superiority has vanished. Sputnik proved, that the Soviet Union was at least on the same technological level as the USA and that a nuclear missile attack was theoretically possible. The so-called “Sputnik Shock” initiated several federally funded research programs for scientific and technological development in the USA. Nobody in the USA or Western Europe wanted to get overrun on the technological sector by the Soviet Union again. As one consequence ARPA was created which was the crucial organisation for the early development of the ARPANET.
1957
Net
Facts
Facts
1957
Other
Events
Events
On March 25th the European Economic Community is founded in Rome
In the South of the USA the access of blacks to „white“ schools is protected and supervised by military forces.
Due to the nuclear armament in Western Europe Polish foreign minister Rapacki proposes the formation of a nuclear-free zone in Central Europe
On November 11th, just one month after Sputnik I, the Russians launch the first “manned” satellite Sputnik II, with a dog called Laika on board.