Today in History: Sputnik launches into orbit, igniting the 'space race'

Fifty-eight years ago today on October 4, 1957, Sputnik was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union. It was in this moment, that the "space race" unofficially began.

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The spacecraft, named "Sputnik" after the Russian word for "satellite," was launched at 10:29 p.m. Moscow time. Approximately the size of a beachball, this metal sphere was the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.

This launch took the world by surprise, as the U.S. had assumed they would be the first to conquer space. But however jealous Americans were, they still tuned in to hear Sputnik on the radio.

Four external radio antennae on Sputnik broadcasted radio signals from space. Listen to the beeps heard 'round the world:

Following Sputnik, the U.S. were eager to follow up. The first U.S. satellite, Explorer, was launched on January 31, 1958.

From there, it was a back and forth match between the U.S. and USSR. Major wins for the Soviets included sending the first man into space, the first woman, the first dog...but, the U.S. made a monumental step forward with the first man on the moon.

While there's no definitive answer to which side won the "space race," that doesn't stop people from picking sides. Let us know who you think "won the space race."

See more photos of the wonderful world of space here:

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