50 Years Ago Today

[al2i]

I think it is my first memory, but it is pretty vague and may have been the month-later launch of Sputnik 2 with the murdered Laika aboard.

I remember my parents had us out in the yard looking for the satellite, a star that moved. and then Mom all excited when we saw a tiny blinking light. It was probably not Sputnik, but the second stage of its booster rocket.

Anyhow we suddenly went from the Atomic Age to the Space Age. Funny how fast the "Ages" come at us now. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Does anyone else remember the furor over Sputnik?

[al2i]

http://www.w9az.com/1957_sputnik-1.jpg

[w2amr]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,02:21)]I think it is my first memory, but it is pretty vague and may have been the month-later launch of Sputnik 2 with the murdered Laika aboard. #

I remember my parents had us out in the yard looking for the satellite, a star that moved. and then Mom all excited when we saw a tiny blinking light. #It was probably not Sputnik, but the second stage of its booster rocket.

Anyhow we suddenly went from the Atomic Age to the Space Age. #Funny how fast the "Ages" come at us now. # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Does anyone else remember the furor over Sputnik?
I remember it well. I also remember wondering how anything could be flying up there without any wings. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,05:21)]Does anyone else remember the furor over Sputnik?
We were called to a special assembly in high school and they played a recording of the beep-beep signal over the speakers.

[oh2gra]

Indeed I remember.
I was only 5yrs old. The older boys were pointing to the sky saying "see it's over there, can't you hear, it's beeping?"
Didn't hear anything. I'm still bitter. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[nq6v]

1947 was the year of the Roswell scare. Shortly after, the national security act of 1947 was maaade into law. Amoung other things, it created the CIA, and made into law private persons must report national security concerns.

Our scientists were not allowed to launch a satillite into orbit, so Russia could. The result was an increase in spending, both in space and milatary, for we had no reliable boosters.

A propaganda blitz still ignored.

The national security act was the excuse used to tell many super patriots they were CIA agents. Many, KKKlaners, formed auxillary police units in america uuuuunder orders, to keep the rabble in line. As can be seen, national security was of very little concern, for many of those persons arrested politicans to be, to maintain thhe right wing status quo.

When Ray-Gun was president, Bush, the VP, was director of NASA. During this period, money was spent on star wars. Little made it, for stealth technology secretly sucked it up. It was known it would not work, but money was spent, and Nasa got probes to the outer planets, to Mars, and plans for a space station. If not for the Phoney star wars, we probablly would not have space exploration we have today, nor smart bombs nor stealth. Area 51 myth was anothher propaganda. Spend money spend Money sspend money. All in aerospace got rich, and the economey did not suffer for it.

But it was all @#$&^%$#.

Sure, Roswell and Area 51 annnd such were fun, but X-Files, and Star Trek and other hollywood shows were aiding it along, and were enterrrtaining and propabanda to boot. Do you really think the Space Station would have passed, and Bushes friends in industry richer if ther was no Star Trek franchise after the 60,s show? It passed by a handful of votes. the space race was created by a capilistic think tank, to make the rich richer and allow us to justify building ICBM's to counter the very real Sovvvviot threat. But we could have launched first. It was decided to give Russia bragging rights, to frighten the rest of the planet, to make it acceptable for us to build up our milatary, and build rockets.

50 years ago, the world changed. But some things remain the same. &^!#$^%%#$#

[kl7aj]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,02:43)]http://www.w9az.com/1957_sputnik-1.jpg
Wow....a Central electonics (20A or something) and an SX-100! I had an SX-100, still one of the best receivers I ever had.

eric

[AE6IP]

Sputnik never changed anything. It was an inevitable step in an obvious progression of events. It did cause a too brief interest in learning in the United States, but that didn't last long and we've long since returned to the American tradition of preferring brawn and denigrating intelligence.

But even in the brief period in which science was acceptable, it was never ore than reluctantly accepted.

[kl7aj]

Quote[/b] (AE6IP @ Oct. 04 2007,09:34)]American tradition of preferring brawn and denigrating intelligence.

But even in the brief period in which science was acceptable, it was never ore than reluctantly accepted.
Are you saying that Linus Torvald could never become "gubbernator" of California? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[al2i]

"Once a photograph of the Earth, taken from outside, is available - once the sheer isolation of the Earth becomes known - a new idea as powerful as any in history will be let loose." -- Sir Fred Hoyle

Sir Fred was right. Much of our consciousness and concern about Earth's fragile ecosystem came after we started seeing images of The Blue Marble from space in the 60's.

http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/2429/globe_east_540.jpg

[al2i]

Watching weather from space is amazing.

http://www.davemcgraw.com/Images/StormyWX.jpg

[n0jaa]

I wasn't even a glimmer in my daddy's eye then! I didn't enter the world until late 1963, and my first memory of the space race was the Apollo 11 moon landing, which I did get to watch live when it happened. That was also my first memory of Walter Cronkite.

[AE6IP]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,09:45)]"Once a photograph of the Earth, taken from outside, is available - once the sheer isolation of the Earth becomes known - a new idea as powerful as any in history will be let loose." -- Sir Fred Hoyle

Sir Fred was right. Much of our consciousness and concern about Earth's fragile ecosystem came after we started seeing images of The Blue Marble from space in the 60's.

http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/2429/globe_east_540.jpg
Sir Fred should have stuck to astronomy. The environmental movement was well under way by the time that photograph was taken. The idea was not new, but the image was useful in spreading it.

[kg4kww]

Cool pic al2i.

I remember the day well. My father was pissed off that the Russians beat us into space.

BTW, I agree with you al2i the russians did murder Laika and that has always bothered me that, that poor died died the way she did.

[al2i]

Quote[/b] (AE6IP @ Oct. 04 2007,09:03)]Sir Fred should have stuck to astronomy.
Don't ever change. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,13:11)]Quote[/b] (AE6IP @ Oct. 04 2007,09:03)]Sir Fred should have stuck to astronomy.
Don't ever change. # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Have no fear.

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[observer]

..
http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2007/09/28/03/didlake.jpg

[K4GUN]

I really enjoyed the article in this month's QST. I wasn't alive then, but there are certain events in history that really do change things. Its hard to remember how we viewed the world before such things happened. Sputnik wasn't just amazing because of the technical achievement. It was momentous because of who did it and when. That event, the Cuban missile crisis and the fall of the Berlin Wall are three of the most important singular events in the history of the Cold War. They were all events that highlight the genuine fear of what the other side was ready to do.

[G0GQK]

The only thing that government space activity has achieved is defining and improving methods to kill people in large numbers wherever in the world they may live. Probes have been sent billions of miles into space, telescopes can "hear" big bangs 3 billion years old. So what ! What use is that if you have no shoes, no money for food. Three quarters of the world population live like this. Space is expensive, life is cheap !

G0GQK

[al2i]

Quote[/b] (G0GQK @ Oct. 04 2007,13:36)]The only thing that government space activity has achieved is defining and improving methods to kill people in large numbers wherever in the world they may live. Probes have been sent billions of miles into space, telescopes can "hear" big bangs 3 billion years old. So what ! What use is that if you have no shoes, no money for food. Three quarters of the world population live like this. Space is expensive, life is cheap !

G0GQK
Congress added a cool billion to NASA's budget. The way I see it, it is better than spilling our national treasure on Middle Eastern sands.

Linque (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5injFfO8MlwJfFFF_n29IR630N94AD8S2M5SO0)

[al2i]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 05 2007,07:21)]Congress added a cool billion to NASA's budget.
BTW, the fact that this is on the anniversary of Sputnik means the little beeper may still be having a tiny effect.

[kg4kww]

I'm curious if any of the posters here on QRZ heard the CW that Sputnik was transmitting on their rigs 50 years ago?

[K4GUN]

Quote[/b] (G0GQK @ Oct. 04 2007,14:36)]The only thing that government space activity has achieved is defining and improving methods to kill people in large numbers wherever in the world they may live. Probes have been sent billions of miles into space, telescopes can "hear" big bangs 3 billion years old. So what ! What use is that if you have no shoes, no money for food. Three quarters of the world population live like this. Space is expensive, life is cheap !

G0GQK
This post just might qualify for the most retarded post in the history of bulletin boards. We can debate the value of the money spent, but if that's the only thing you think that has come from the space program, you're clearly insane. Have you by chance heard of GPS? How about weather satellites? Global communication? You wouldn't even know about the shoeless people across the globe were it not for the BBC using the fruits of the space program's labors. Our understanding of the very nature of physics has benefited. Then you can take into account how satellite imagery has helped agriculture, oil exploration and urban planning. If you can look into space and only imaging rockets coming to kill you, you're truly a sad person.

This all started 50 years ago. Sputnik was a momentous event. It was the very beginning of the modern world as we know it.

[K0RGR]

Quote[/b] (kl7aj @ Oct. 04 2007,08:55)]Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,02:43)]http://www.w9az.com/1957_sputnik-1.jpg
Wow....a Central electonics (20A or something) and an SX-100! I had an SX-100, still one of the best receivers I ever had.

eric
I believe that's a 10-B. That's the first 'transmitter' I ever used on the air - it was the only thing my dad had that would work under crystal control when I first got my Novice ticket.

We had a 20-A later, too, but it had a different look to it - more knobs where the logo is on the 10-B.

My dad had an HRO receiver in 1957, and I remember hearing Sputnik on it.

[K7FE]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,02:43)]http://www.w9az.com/1957_sputnik-1.jpg
W9VQC USA Lookups: 69
William G Williams
18 Mariner Lane
Mary Esther FL 32569
USA



Ask him what he heard.
73,
Terry, K7FE

[KB9YCO]

Quote[/b] ]Wow....a Central electonics (20A or something) and an SX-100! I had an SX-100, still one of the best receivers I ever had. kl7aj

I've had an SX-100 for a long time. I actually just gave it back to the friend I got from almost 20 years ago, needs some work and he is way into tube radios so I knew it would be in good hands if I ever wanted it back again. A great radio and one I have spent many, many hours listening to over the years. Oh yeah, Sputnik was cool too... but I wasn't around for it.

[W0UZR]

Quote[/b] (al2i @ Oct. 04 2007,03:21)]I think it is my first memory, but it is pretty vague and may have been the month-later launch of Sputnik 2 with the murdered Laika aboard. #

I remember my parents had us out in the yard looking for the satellite, a star that moved. and then Mom all excited when we saw a tiny blinking light. #It was probably not Sputnik, but the second stage of its booster rocket.

Anyhow we suddenly went from the Atomic Age to the Space Age. #Funny how fast the "Ages" come at us now. # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Does anyone else remember the furor over Sputnik?
I confess

The TV said that the satellite went up and told us where and when to look up to see it. And that was a big deal then....