Sputnik 1
Mission overview
Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union and opening the Space Age.
Mission data
Identity and engineering data from Wikidata (type-verified match · Q80811) · launch date 1957-10-04 confirmed
| International designator | 1957-001B | Wikidata · catalogued |
| Operator | Soviet Union | Wikidata · catalogued |
| Manufacturer | S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia | Wikidata · catalogued |
| Launch mass | 83.6 kg | Wikidata · catalogued |
Full field-level provenance
- International designator: Wikidata (Wikimedia Foundation) — community-curated structured knowledge base · Wikidata · wdt · P247 · catalogued value · retrieved 2026-07-11
- Operator: Wikidata (Wikimedia Foundation) — community-curated structured knowledge base · Wikidata · wdt · P137 · catalogued value · retrieved 2026-07-11
- Manufacturer: Wikidata (Wikimedia Foundation) — community-curated structured knowledge base · Wikidata · wdt · P176 · catalogued value · retrieved 2026-07-11
- Launch mass: Wikidata (Wikimedia Foundation) — community-curated structured knowledge base · Wikidata · wdt · P2067 · catalogued value · retrieved 2026-07-11
Sourced from Wikidata (community-maintained structured data, whose statements link to their own citations where provided); each value carries its Wikidata QID. A field with conflicting Wikidata values is omitted. Launch date is used only to cross-check the catalogue, never to override it. Fields Wikidata did not provide, or where conflicting values exist, are omitted, never invented.
Objectives
- ▹Place the first artificial object into Earth orbit
- ▹Study the upper atmosphere and radio transmission from orbit
Outcome & discoveries
Reached orbit and transmitted for 21 days, triggering the Space Race.
Mission profile
Knowledge connections
- Operated byRoscosmos
- Launched fromBaikonur Cosmodrome
- Associated withExplorer 1
- Associated withLaunch of Sputnik 1
- Associated withFirst Artificial Satellite
Related missions
| Mission | Type | Agency | Launch | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vostok 1Low Earth orbit | Crewed orbital | Roscosmos | 1961-04-12 | Completed |
| Vostok 6 | Crewed orbital | Roscosmos | 1963-06-16 | Completed |
| Voskhod 2 | Crewed orbital | Roscosmos | 1965-03-18 | Completed |
| Luna 2The Moon | Impactor | Roscosmos | 1959-09-12 | Completed |
| Luna 9The Moon | Lander | Roscosmos | 1966-01-31 | Completed |
| Luna 17 / Lunokhod 1The Moon | Rover | Roscosmos | 1970-11-10 | Completed |
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- RoscosmosState Space Corporation Roscosmos
Russian crewed and robotic spaceflight history and programs.