What Looked Like a Silver Beach Ball with Whiskers, Went Beep Beep Beep, and Set the World on its Ear?

Fifty years ago today, October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched what would be considered a technological joke today into space and that had one HUGE impact here on earth.

This object was about three feet across and resembled a silver beach ball with whiskers and all it did was orbit and send out "beeps." Not too impressive by today's standards, but a major blow to American pride at the time. The Soviets had beaten us into space.

To make matters worse, a month later, Sputnik II went up with an ill-fated pooch by the name of Laika. We got our chance on December 6th when the Vanguard rocket lifted four feet off the launching pad at Cape Canaveral, fell, exploded, and sent our satellite bouncing along the ground.

We had more success with the Explorer I on January 31, 1958. Then, the Soviets got the first man in space Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961.

This set off the Space Race, one that America eventually won by putting men on the moon in 1969.

This increased pressure on American schools to improve science studies. Kind of a first No Child left behind, but one the government backed up with money.

By the way, Americans were glued to their TV sets on this date as well as a new series debuted, "Leave it to Beaver."

On this Date in 1957. --RoadDog

Speaking of On This Date, on this date in 1970, Janis Joplin was found dead in Hollywood at age 27. Drugs and hard-living also cost the lives of Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, but the music survived.

--RoadDog