Sputnik 1 (/ˈspʌtnɪk, ˈspʊtnɪk/, ‹See Tfd›Russian: Спутник-1, Satellite 1) was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It sent a radio signal back to Earth for three weeks before its three silver-zinc batteries became depleted. Aerodynamic drag caused it to fall back into the atmosphere on 4 January 1958. The world's first observation was made at the school observatory in Rodewisch (Saxony).
It was a polished metal sphere 58 cm (23 in) in diameter with four external radio antennas to broadcast radio pulses. Its radio signal was easily detectable by amateur radio operators, and the 65° orbital inclination made its flight path cover virtually the entire inhabited Earth.
The satellite's success was unanticipated by the United States. This precipitated the American Sputnik crisis and triggered the Space Race, part of the Cold War. The launch was the beginning of a new era of political, military, technological, and scientific developments. The word sputnik is Russian for satellite when interpreted in an astronomical context; its other meanings are spouse or traveling companion.
Tracking and studying Sputnik 1 from Earth provided scientists with valuable information. The density of the upper atmosphere could be deduced from its drag on the orbit, and the propagation of its radio signals gave data about the ionosphere.
Sputnik 1 was launched during the International Geophysical Year from Site No.1/5, at the 5th Tyuratam range, in Kazakh SSR (now known as the Baikonur Cosmodrome). The satellite traveled at a peak speed of about 8 km/s (18,000 mph), taking 96.20 minutes to complete each orbit. It transmitted on 20.005 and 40.002 MHz, which were monitored by radio operators throughout the world. The signals continued for 22 days until the transmitter batteries depleted on 26 October 1957. On 4 January 1958, after three months in orbit, Sputnik 1 burned up while reentering Earth's atmosphere, having completed 1,440 orbits of the Earth, and travelling a distance of approximately 70,000,000 km (43,000,000 mi).
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Thing ds9 should have done: have a maybe main, maybe recurring guest character who is a human from star fleet who legit adopts the bajoran faith. We sorta see it with Sisko but he's also the damn Emissary. He gets lots of evidence and it's kinda beneficial, same sorta in the inverse with Dukat. It would be neat seeing a character genuinely find faith in the prophets without any personal benefit attached. We talked about it a bit at work and figured the best candidate was Keiko. There's the whole deal with her an the school early on where she doesn't teach the bakoran religion as science and stuff happens, but that's early on and while she is correct in that episode, it does give a good starting point for a character. What got me there was the episode she was literally possessed by a pah wraith, that experience as well as Kira carrying her baby later on could all kinda contribute to her growing interest in the faith, it could give some episodes with her and Obrien discussing how to raise their kids in a multi faith household (no fucking way would Obrien convert but also I don't think he'd be a dick about Keiko not being an atheist anymore). I feel like something could have been done there.
Unlimited Keiko O'Brien science classes upon the reactionary Bajoran faith
That episode where that other guy was maybe The Emissary but turned out not to be and brought back the caste system would have been more interesting if Keiko had some interest in the religion. A new person being introduced to the religion could also show different sects a bit more thoroughly, it's a global religion where the gods are genuinely there and generally do what the scriptures say they will, if you make sure to interpret it in the plot twist way the writer's would come up with. Also she literally gets possessed by one of their demons, if I got genuinely possessed and exorcized I would be going to church every damn day after. Also the school gets closed real early on and she just fucks off to bajor to do botany, so it gives her stuff to do in the show as well. I know behind the scenes it's cause Rosalind Chao had other things going on and couldn't always be on call. Seeing a POV of a normal person interacting genuinely with the religion who isn't either already committed or the space jesus/space Satan of that religion would allow for plots that could expand upon the faith and different factions within and interpretations and then it could be developed into something that comes off less reactionary as well? I don't really see that much reactionary elements aside from the long abandoned caste system that they spent like a month reviving and gave up on again
Instead she should have a entire show long arc of teaching bajoran children science through literal hell or high water
Yeah, that's fun tv
A lot more fun than her being an adult convert to religion, one of the absolute worst types of people
OK Sam Harris