On this day, 68 years ago, on October 4, 1957 (August 11, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first human satellite: Sputnik-1. Soviet satellites On October 4, 1957, the world's first artificial earth satellite was made and successfully launched by the Soviet Union. The rocket carrying the satellite enabled it to achieve the necessary orbital speed of around 8,000 meters per second. It is calculated that the satellite is orbiting at an altitude of 900 kilometers above the ground; its full revolution time is 1 hour and 35 minutes, and the tilt angle formed between its orbit and the equatorial plane is 65 degrees. The artificial satellite is a spherical body with a diameter of 58 centimeters and a weight of 83.6 kilograms. It contains two radio transmitters that continuously emit radio signals. Its frequencies are 20.005 and 40.002 MHz respectively (wavelengths are around 15 and 7.5 meters respectively). The signals take the form of telegraph signals, and each signal lasts approximately 0.3 seconds. The pause time is the same. As early as the end of the 19th century, the outstanding Russian scientist Tsiolkovsky scientifically demonstrated the possibility of achieving space flight through rockets for the first time in his book. Although the model of the Soviet Union's first artificial satellite is only 55 centimeters in diameter, it is a historic achievement. Soviet engineers are debugging the "Artificial Earth Satellite-1". These are the few photos of this satellite left in the world. Extended reading: Uncovering the story behind mankind's first artificial earth satellite Extended reading: Uncovering the story behind mankind's first artificial earth satellite On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched the first artificial earth satellite, taking the first step in human exploration of space. Recently, 50 years after the successful launch of the first artificial earth satellite, Sergey, son of Khrushchev, the supreme leader of the Soviet Union, accepted an interview with the New York Times in the office of Brown University in the United States and reviewed the man-made earth satellite launch process, the rapid and strong response of the Americans, and its huge impact on human space exploration. Dr. Sergei Khrushchev was the son of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. In 1957, at the age of 22, he was still a young engineer, but he often traveled with his father and was in an unusually special position in the clarion call of the Soviet Union's march into space. Today, 77-year-old Sergey is a senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University in the United States. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched the first artificial earth satellite in human history. From September 7, 1953 to October 14, 1964, Nikita Khrushchev served as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Sergei recalled: "Before suddenly entering politics, my father actually wanted to be an engineer. He had a strong interest in missile and space research." On the evening of October 4, 1957, Sergei and his father experienced the joy of launching the first artificial earth satellite by the Soviet Union. "Oh my God, we have caught up with the United States." On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched the first artificial earth satellite in human history. Later, the Soviet Union's Pravda published a small article on the first page, introducing the development of the Soviet space industry in concise, calm and objective language, telling the people how to receive signals from the "New Moon (artificial satellite)", and promising to become a larger and more capable scientific satellite. At the same time, newspapers around the world reported the explosive news in headlines, and many articles speculated on its significance for the future. For example, at 1:36 a.m. on October 5, 1957, a telegram from the Tass news agency was simultaneously printed on the teletypewriters of various news agencies: "For many years, the Soviet Union has been committed to the research and testing of artificial satellites. The Soviet Union has already talked about launching artificial satellites in its international geophysical research program. After the intense efforts of various research institutes and relevant scientific research units, the first artificial earth satellite has now been born-on October 4, the Soviet Union successfully launched the first artificial satellite. Sergey said: "Americans do not believe that other countries can surpass them in space technology. This incident shocked and scared them. We were quite surprised by this reaction." He believes that the situation at that time was not that the Soviet Union did not realize the importance of this artificial earth satellite, but that this achievement was more regarded at that time as another major advancement in Soviet technology and achievements. "We built the world's first nuclear power plant, our MiG fighter jets broke flight records, and we successfully launched the first jet. This is the pride of the Soviet people, but it shocked the American people." Sergei said. After the reactions from around the world became clear, Soviet officials immediately decided to maximize the effects of the incident. "The father announced,'We must make a loud voice, yes, a louder voice,'"Sergey said. The next day, Pravda devoted most of its pages to the artificial earth satellite. Its headline read: "The Soviet Union creates the world's first artificial earth satellite." The article includes congratulations from Western scientists. One map shows the trajectory of satellites through Soviet and American cities, and one article has the poetic title: "Jumping into Space." Dr. Root Shagdiyev, now a professor at the University of Maryland and former director of the Soviet Institute for Space Research, believes that even if the United States launched an artificial earth satellite before the Soviet Union, the space race between the two countries would be fierce because at the time both superpowers had rocket experts and far-sighted talents. "But when the Soviet Sputnik was the first to launch," he said,"we did have this feeling: 'Oh my God, we're catching up with the United States. In the next few years, we may overtake the United States.' This was of great significance to the Soviet people. February 27, 1956 February 27, 1956 was destined to be a critical day in the history of human space exploration. On this day, Khrushchev took Sergei and an entourage to visit the office of Sergei Korolev (1906 - 1966). Korolev is considered the father of the Soviet space program. In the 1950s, he was responsible for developing the Soviet Union's first intercontinental ballistic missile, the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile. A ballistic missile is an unmanned wingless aircraft. It flies along a certain spatial trajectory (i.e. trajectory) and attacks fixed targets. Ballistic missiles can be divided into four types: short-range, medium-range, long-range and intercontinental based on their range. The range of intercontinental ballistic missiles is more than 8000 kilometers. Depending on the launch location, it can be divided into two types: ground-to-surface ballistic missiles and submarine-to-surface ballistic missiles. The so-called submarine-to-ground means launching from a missile nuclear submarine at the target. In Korolev's office, they saw a full-scale R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile model and were deeply shocked. But as they were ready to leave, Korolev asked Khrushchev to stay for a moment to discuss another project. "Then Korolev showed his father something completely unfamiliar." Sergei recalled: "Korolev said that R-7 could be launched into space and made it orbit the earth like a small moon. He talked about these things eventually flying to the moon and even sending humans into space." Korolev pointed out that realizing these technologies only cost a little more money, but they could win the Soviet Union a high reputation as "first". "The idea attracted my father deeply, and he had only one question: 'Will this affect the intercontinental missile project?' Or will we delay the launch plan?" Sergey said: "Korolev replied no, and then he got Khrushchev's approval and started the work." On August 21, 1957, the Soviet Union successfully test-fired the world's first intercontinental missile. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union put the world's first artificial earth satellite into orbit. It was a beautiful day 50 years later, Sergei still remembers the night of the launch. On October 4, 1957, Khrushchev was inspecting military exercises in Ukraine and discussing issues with local officials. At Kiev's Marin Palace, the General Secretary's dinner was postponed, and Khrushchev did not speak to the officials at the dinner table because he was waiting for a phone call. Sometime before midnight, the phone came. "My father came back from another room with a smile. I knew that the Soviet artificial earth satellite had been launched. Sergei said: "My father announced that a great event had occurred. Just now, Korolev called me to report that the artificial earth satellite had entered orbit." When Khrushchev talked about the significance of rockets and other events, the people in the room listened politely and gracefully, but with little interest. At this time, an assistant who asked Khrushchev to answer the phone walked into the room, turned on a radio in the corner, and adjusted the frequency to a position where he could receive satellite signals. "My father listened attentively and happily. After listening, he ended the conversation and returned to his bedroom. It's a beautiful day. However, what neither father and son expected was what kind of shock the world had taken place in the next few hours. Although the Soviets reported this news with extreme restraint, newspapers in the West, especially the United States, launched a flood of news reports and analysis. From politicians 'offices to ordinary streets, people are listening carefully; from roofs to back gardens, they follow a moving spot of light like a star in the night sky. Wald McDougall, a historian at the University of Pennsylvania, once wrote: "Since Pearl Harbor, nothing has affected public life in this way. The New York Times article believes that the younger generation may compare this incident to the September 11 terrorist attacks. This artificial earth satellite also brought mankind into the space age. McDougall wrote that in early 1957, when the Soviet Union announced that it had successfully tested the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile,"no one took their words seriously." But the successful launch of artificial earth satellites finally convinced Westerners: "The Soviets can now build ballistic missiles that can hit any given target in the world.""It is clear that they have achieved a great lead in the field of missile technology.", thus changing the psychological contrast before 1957. The realistic deterrence of this intercontinental missile hanging overhead and the huge psychological impact of satellites changed the Cold War mentality of the United States. As a result, the United States 'Cold War decision-making pattern before 1957 was completely changed. On January 31, 1958, the United States placed its first scientific Earth satellite into Earth orbit.