CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the earth’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik I. The successful launch came as a shock to experts and citizens in the United States, who had hoped that the United States would accomplish this scientific advancement first.

Detailed explanation-2: -Sputnik 2 (Russian pronunciation: [ˈsputʲnʲɪk], Russian: -2, Satellite 2), or Prosteyshiy Sputnik 2 (PS-2, Russian: 2, Simplest Satellite 2) was the second spacecraft launched into Earth orbit, on 3 November 1957, and the first to carry a living animal, a Soviet space dog named Laika.

Detailed explanation-3: -Two satellite projects in the United States were likewise developed in the context of the IGY. The resulting Vanguard and Orbiter (later Explorer) projects emerged as rivals, not just to the Sputnik program but also occasionally to each other.

Detailed explanation-4: -As of 7 February 2023, over eighty countries have operated artificial satellites.