Russia launches the first artificial Earth satellite – archive 1957

5 October 1957 - The Tass agency announced last night that the first artificial Earth satellite was successfully launched in Russia yesterday. It is now circling the world 565 miles up once every 95 minutes and, according to the agency, can be observed in the rays of the rising and setting sun with ordinary binoculars or spy glasses. More

(Source: The Guardian - Oct 6)