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Q:

When was the first satellite built?

A:

The first artificial satellite was Sputnik I. Sputnik I was launched by the Soviet Union, now known as Russia, on October 4, 1957. It was about the size of a beach ball, weighed only 83.6 kg (183.9 lbs), and took around 98 minutes to orbit the Earth. Sputnik’s launch marked the start of the space age and the space race United States-Soviet Union.

 

Ask an Explainer
Posted on March 3, 2015 at 2:29 pm
Categories:
Structures & Materials
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