Fact #93122

The space race begins as the Soviet Union successfully launches Sputnik I, the world's first artificial satellite. Weighing 83.6kg, Sputnik 1 was about the size of a beach ball and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. The event also triggered the imaginations of many songwriters and artists, first of whom was probably rockabilly vocalist Skip Stanley with Satellite Baby (1956), but there were others including Sputnik Baby by Roosevelt Sykes (1957), Sputnik Dance (1958) by The Equadors and Jerry Engler with Sputnik (Satellite Girl) (1958).