Happy Birthday ! Space Age offically 50 years young.

[shockwaveriderz]

Do you know where you were on Oct 4 1957?

I was barely 2 yrs old... I like to think that perhaps as a baby(toddler) I looked into the night skies above me and saw Sputnik 1 racing across the sky.

Its time now to go for a much more productive next 50 years.

terry dean
nar 16158


This month in Model Rocketry History:

9-10/57 G.Harry Stine goes to work at Martin Co, In Denver,Co and is subsequently fired
for telling the AP News serivice that the Soviet Union used an ICBM to Launch Sputnik 1 into orbit, among other
true and choice comments.(which were all true by the way)

10/57 Mechanix Illustrated Article about 1st Model Rockets called Rock-A-Chutes published; titled, " Shoot Your Own", by G.Harry Stine. The article begins: " Amateur Rocketeers who have been waiting for a chance to shoot their own rockets skyward may be just a step away from lighting the fuse"

10/8/57 Model Missile,Inc is formed by G.Harry Stine(NAR#2),Orv H. Carlise(NAR #1), G.Harry's Father and Son-in-Laws, Willard L. Kauth (NAR #5) and Donald Z. Kauth(NAR #6).

10/17/1957. Grand opening was held for the Thiokol ICBM solid propellant plant, known as the Wasatch Division. Future Model Rocket Manufacturers who will work here include Irv Wait(RDC), John Rahkonen(Prodyne) and George Roos (FSI).

10/57 G.Harry Stine, with the help of Orv H. Carlisle get Lawrence and Herbert Brown (Father/Son) of Brown Manufacturing (Zenith Fireworks)to make the first commercial Rock-a-Chute Model rocket motors.

10/57 Brown Mfg. sells model rocket motors to MMI at $0.13 per motor

 

[SecretSquirrel]

I don't know why we're making all this fuss over Sputnik. We should be celebrating Manhole Cover Day or something.

https://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20021021/manhole.shtml

 

[mjennings]

If you're counting from Sputnik

First successful A-4/V-2 Launch was 10-3-42, 65 years ago yesterday.

I like to count from both, because both events are important to our hobby and space history.

 

[roadkill]

In celebration of the 50th anniversary
I have completed a semi-scale model of the Spudnik:

*razzies*

 

[dcastle]

I always thought it was cool ... and quite a coincidence...that I was born on the 4th anniversary of Sputnik....

 

[adrian]

If you're counting from Sputnik

First successful A-4/V-2 Launch was 10-3-42, 65 years ago yesterday.

I like to count from both, because both events are important to our hobby and space history.

I agree. The space age opened on 3rd October 1942; the space race opened 15 years and a day later. Apparently the Sputnik launch was originally scheduled for 6th October, but Korolev was worried that the US had something nearly ready to go, so he moved up the launch date a couple of days. If only he'd launched another day earlier, we could celebrate both events at once. On the other hand, I suppose it's a good excuse for a two-day party.

 

[blackjack2564]

I remember walking outside with my grandfather and some binaculars, and searching the skies for sputnik, as it was passing over. Much to our amazement,it could be seen with the naked eye.
Every single event from Allen Shepards first flight to our moon walk, I was fortunate enough to watch. Our school brought TV's into all the class rooms for each event, and all school work was halted as we were fortunate enough to witness history in the making.

 

[mrbusdriver]

Now...is Estes going to re-release the old Jupiter C (maybe with the new Redstone plastic fins) for the January Explorer anniversary? It would make sense...

 

[Rocketmaniac]

In celebration of the 50th anniversary
I have completed a semi-scale model of the Spudnik:

That is just prefect Sue!!!! Now can you put a C11 in that baby?

Back to the thread, my father-in-law was also born on this day. My daughter told me that is a "cool" day because of both events. (of course she has heart me ramble on and on about Sputnik)