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Space mission · Roscosmos

Sputnik 1

ExplorationCompletedLaunched 1957-10-04

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 designator1957-001BWikidata · catalogued
OperatorSoviet UnionWikidata · catalogued
ManufacturerS.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation EnergiaWikidata · catalogued
Launch mass83.6 kgWikidata · 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

MissionAgencyLaunch
Vostok 1Low Earth orbitRoscosmos1961-04-12
Vostok 6Roscosmos1963-06-16
Voskhod 2Roscosmos1965-03-18
Luna 2The MoonRoscosmos1959-09-12
Luna 9The MoonRoscosmos1966-01-31
Luna 17 / Lunokhod 1The MoonRoscosmos1970-11-10

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • RoscosmosState Space Corporation Roscosmos

    Russian crewed and robotic spaceflight history and programs.