THE WORLD'S FIRST artificial EARTH SATELLITE - the Soviet spacecraft - was launched into orbit on October 4, 1957. The DATE of the "Sputnik-1" launch is the BEGINNING OF THE SPACE ERA OF HUMANITY! This event took place in the USSR just 12 years after the VICTORY IN THE FIRST WAR WITH Fascists from the WEST. In Russia, October 4 is annually celebrated as a memorable day for the Space Forces.