Reaching the heavens in the quest for space

Abstract

There are moments in human history that define significant change and development. One of the more positive moments occurred on October 4, 1957. On that day, the world's first artificial satellite was placed into Earth orbit, signifying the dawn of what became known as the "space age". That defining moment, when Sputnik attained a successful orbital insertion, finally unlocked the age-old secret of flight beyond the confines of our planet and brought human dreams, stories, and plans to explore "space" closer to fruition and reality. The rapid pace of advancement has become a feature of space exploration since that date. After those centuries of hopes and desires, another significant development occurred but a short two and one half years later.