CCCP - Sputnik 1 Mission patch.
Oct. 4, 2021
On Monday, October 4, 2021, all of humanity celebrates the 64th anniversary of the beginning of the space age. In 1957, the first artificial Earth satellite, created in the Soviet Union, was launched into space. Thanks to this event, a huge breakthrough in science took place, and humanity set foot on the road into space. It is from this day that the world cosmonautics counts down!
Sputnik
The creation of the first spacecraft began at OKB-1 (today the SP Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, part of the State Corporation Roscosmos) in November 1956. The satellite was developed as a very simple device, and therefore received the name - the PS-1 spacecraft (the simplest satellite). It was a ball with a diameter of 58 cm, weighing 83.6 kg and was equipped with four pin antennas for transmitting signals from battery-powered transmitters.
The scientists M.V. Keldysh, M.K. Tikhonravov, N. S. Lidorenko, G. Yu. Maksimov, V. I. Lapko, B S. Chekunov, A. V. Bukhtiyarov and many others.
The launch was carried out on October 4, 1957 at 22 hours 28 minutes 34 seconds Moscow time from the 5th research site of the USSR Ministry of Defense "Tyura-Tam" (now - the Baikonur cosmodrome) on the launch vehicle "Sputnik" (R-7 No. 8K71PS). 295 seconds after the launch, the first satellite and the central block of the rocket were launched into an elliptical orbit with an altitude of 947 km at apogee and 288 km at a perigee. At 314.5 seconds after the launch, the satellite separated, and he gave his voice. "Beep! Beep!" - so his callsigns sounded. They were caught at the test site for 2 minutes, then the satellite "went" beyond the horizon.
October 4 - the beginning of space exploration
On the first loop of its flight, the TASS message sounded: "... As a result of a lot of hard work of research institutes and design bureaus, the world's first artificial Earth satellite was created ..."
The satellite flew for 92 days, until January 4, 1958, completing 1,440 revolutions around our planet, flying about 60 million km, and its radio transmitters worked for two weeks after launch.
The main tasks facing this satellite were:
- Verification of calculations and basic technical solutions adopted for the launch;
- Ionospheric studies of the transmission of radio waves emitted by satellite transmitters;
- Experimental determination of the density of the upper layers of the atmosphere by the deceleration of the satellite;
- Investigation of the conditions of operation of the equipment in the space environment.
The launch of an artificial satellite of the Earth was of great importance for the knowledge of the properties of outer space and the study of the Earth as a planet of our solar system. The analysis of the received signals from the satellite gave scientists the opportunity to study the upper layers of the ionosphere, which was not possible before. In addition, information on the operating conditions of the equipment, most useful for further launches, was obtained, all calculations were checked, and the density of the upper atmosphere was determined by the deceleration of the satellite.
On October 5, 1957, the Pravda newspaper reported:
“... On October 4, 1957, the first satellite was successfully launched in the USSR. According to preliminary data, the launch vehicle told the satellite the required orbital speed of about 8000 meters per second. At present, the satellite describes elliptical trajectories around the Earth and its flight can be observed in the rays of the rising and setting Sun with the help of the simplest optical instruments (binoculars, telescopes, etc.).
According to calculations, which are now being refined by direct observations, the satellite will move at altitudes up to 900 kilometers above the Earth's surface; the time of one complete revolution of the satellite will be 1 hour 35 minutes, the angle of inclination of the orbit to the equatorial plane is 65 °. On October 5, 1957, the satellite will pass over the Moscow region twice - at 1 hour 46 minutes. nights and at 6 o'clock. 42 minutes morning Moscow time. Messages about the subsequent movement of the first artificial satellite launched in the USSR on October 4 will be broadcast regularly by broadcast radio stations.
Sputnik description
The satellite has the shape of a sphere with a diameter of 58 cm and a weight of 83.6 kg. It has two radio transmitters that continuously emit radio signals with a frequency of 20.005 and 40.002 megahertz (wavelengths of about 15 and 7.5 meters, respectively). The power of the transmitters ensures reliable reception of radio signals by a wide range of radio amateurs. The signals are in the form of telegraph transmissions with a duration of about 0.3 seconds. with a pause of the same duration. A signal of one frequency is sent while a signal of another frequency is paused ... ”.
The launch of an artificial satellite of the Earth was of great importance for the knowledge of the properties of outer space and the study of the Earth as a planet of our solar system. The analysis of the received signals from the satellite gave scientists the opportunity to study the upper layers of the ionosphere, which was not possible before. In addition, information on the operating conditions of the equipment, most useful for further launches, was obtained, all calculations were checked, and the density of the upper atmosphere was determined by the deceleration of the satellite.
Related article by ROSCOSMOS:
Поздравление экипажа МКС с годовщиной начала космической эры / Congratulations to the ISS crew on the anniversary of the beginning of the space age
https://www.roscosmos.ru/32828/
Related links:
ROSCOSMOS Press Release: https://www.roscosmos.ru/32814/
First satellite: https://www.roscosmos.ru/tag/pervihy-sputnik/
Image, Animation, Video, Text, Credits: ROSCOSMOS/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch
