- sputnik
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(sometimes cap.) any of a series of Soviet earth-orbiting satellites: Sputnik I was the world's first space satellite.[1957; < Russ spútnik satellite, traveling companion, equiv. to s- together, with + put' way, route + -nik agent suffix (cf. -NIK)]
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Any of a series of Earth-orbiting spacecraft whose launching by the Soviet Union inaugurated the space age.Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite (October 1957), remained in orbit until early 1958, when it reentered Earth's atmosphere and burned up. Sputnik 2 carried a dog, Laika, the first living creature to orbit Earth; since Sputnik 2 was not designed to sustain life, Laika did not survive the flight. Eight more missions with similar satellites carried out experiments on various animals to test life-support systems and reentry procedures and to furnish data on space temperatures, pressures, particles, radiation, and magnetic fields.* * *
▪ satellitesany of a series of artificial Earth satellites whose launching by the Soviet Union beginning on October 4, 1957, inaugurated the space age. Sputnik 1, the first satellite launched by man, was a 184-pound (83.6-kg) capsule. It achieved an Earth orbit with an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 584 miles (940 km) and a perigee (nearest point) of 143 miles (230 km), circling the Earth every 96 minutes and remaining in orbit until early 1958 when it fell back and burned in the Earth's atmosphere. Launched on November 3, 1957, Sputnik 2 carried the dog Laika, the first living creature to be shot into space and orbit the Earth. Eight more Sputnik missions with similar satellites carried out experiments on a variety of animals to test spacecraft life-support systems; they also tested reentry procedures and furnished data on space temperatures, pressures, particles, radiation, and magnetic fields.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
