In the book and corresponding film October Sky, Sputnik 1 traveled about 18,000 mph or 5 miles/second.
How fast does Sputnik travel around the Earth?
Sputnik was only 23 inches in diameter but weighed about 184 pounds. At 500 miles up, at the speed of 18,000 miles an hour , Sputnik circled the globe every 96 minutes, making 1,440 orbits around the Earth before beginning its rentry.
How fast does Sputnik travel per hour?
Sputnik had a diameter of 22 inches and weighed 184 pounds and circled Earth once every hour and 36 minutes. Traveling at 18,000 miles an hour , its elliptical orbit had an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 584 miles and a perigee (nearest point) of 143 miles.
What did Sputnik look like in the sky?
The Sputnik 1 satellite was a 58.0 cm-diameter aluminum sphere that carried four whip-like antennas that were 2.4-2.9 m long . The antennas looked like long “whiskers” pointing to one side.
Why did the rockets Explode in October Sky?
The cone and body of the rocket was created by a worker at the company mine named Leon Bolden. It ended up going into the air, twisting around and exploding. Also exploded. Quentin noted that the rocket would be too short and Leon Bolden remarked to make it longer .
What is an auk in October Sky?
In October Sky, ‘Auk’ is the name that the ‘Rocket Boys’ give their rockets . The first rocket built by Homer Hickam, Jr.
Is Telstar 1 still in orbit?
It successfully relayed through space the first television pictures, telephone calls, and telegraph images, and provided the first live transatlantic television feed. Telstar 2 launched May 7, 1963. Telstar 1 and 2—though no longer functional—still orbit the Earth .
Is Sputnik still orbiting?
It achieved an Earth orbit with an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 940 km (584 miles) and a perigee (nearest point) of 230 km (143 miles), circling Earth every 96 minutes and remaining in orbit until January 4, 1958 , when it fell back and burned in Earth’s atmosphere.
How much did it cost to send Sputnik 1?
LEO Payload: 500 kg (1,100 lb) to a 200 km orbit at 65.00 degrees. Flyaway Unit Cost 1985$: 33.000 million .
How long was Explorer 1 in space?
Explorer 1 transmitted data for about four months till its batteries died on May 21, 1958. But it remained in orbit around Earth for 12 years . It circled Earth 58,376 times before burning up upon reentry into the atmosphere on March 31, 1970.
What is the oldest satellite in orbit?
The Vanguard spacecraft , the oldest satellite still in orbit, is seen here in Cape Canaveral, Florida, back in 1958. Today, there are more than 2,600 active satellites in orbit, as well as thousands of dead satellites that circle the planet as space junk.
What happened on April 12th 1961?
12 April 1961 was the date of the first human space flight , carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen. This historic event opened the way for space exploration for the benefit of all humanity.
What is the fuel that Homer uses on his first rocket?
Homer and the Rocket Boys needed a propellant for their rocket. Homer’s initial attempt to launch a rocket used fireworks as a propellant.
How long can a satellite stay in space?
The satellites in the very low end of that range typically only stay up for a few weeks to a few months . They run into that friction and will basically melt, says McDowell. But at altitudes of 600 km—where the International Space Station orbits—satellites can stay up for decades.
Who put the satellite in space?
Fifty years ago, on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, shocking the American public and beginning the Space Age.
What happened to Miss Riley during the science fair?
Miss Riley does end up enjoying better health when the cancer goes into remission. Sadly, though, the remission only lasts a few years. Being the dedicated teacher she is, she continues working up until the point she physically can’t. Miss Riley ends up dying of Hodgkin’s disease in 1969 shortly after turning 32.
Why is the nozzle so important in October Sky?
Why is the “Nozzle” important? Directs the flow of the hot gases .
What happened to the Vanguard rocket?
| Size | Success(es) 3 | Failure(s) 8 | First flight 23 October 1957 (Vanguard 1: 17 April 1958) | Last flight 18 September 1959 |
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What happened to Sherman Rocket Boys?
Sherman suffers from polio, and has a “bad leg.” Nevertheless, he plays an invaluable role in building interest and support for the BCMA. Tragically, Sherman dies of a heart attack when he’s only 26 years old.
What year is the setting in October Sky?
The movie is based on a true story is set in Coaltown, (Coalwood in the movie), West Virginia in 1957, where coal mining is king and no one can escape life underground. But when high schooler Homer Hickman, Jr.
Who is O’Dell in October Sky?
Jimmie “O’Dell” Carroll , the owner of these mementos, is one of the original “Rocket Boys” from Coalwood, West Virginia. He and five other high school buddies, including their rocket-crazed leader Homer Hickam, spent the latter half of their high school career at “Cape Coalwood” building and launching small rockets.
Was there a dog in Sputnik?
Hurriedly prepared to take advantage of the propaganda value of the first satellite, Sputnik 2 utilized an animal habitat and carried the dog Laika , the first animal to orbit the Earth. The event began to galvanize the United States into organizing their space program.
How long did Sputnik 2 stay in space?
The orbit of Sputnik 2 decayed and it reentered Earth’s atmosphere on 14 April 1958 after 162 days in orbit.
What happened to Telstar?
Telstar 1, launched July 10, 1962, relayed the first transatlantic television signals. Telstar operated successfully until February 1963, when it ceased to communicate , probably as a result of radiation from American nuclear-weapons testing in the atmosphere.
What is the oldest piece of space junk?
Space Junk
The oldest known piece of orbital debris is the 1958 Vanguard 1 research satellite , which ceased all functions in 1964.
What is the oldest man made object in Earth orbit?
The Soviet satellite Sputnik 1 became the first human artefact in orbit on October 4, 1957.
What happened to Sputnik dog?
In 1999, several Russian sources reported that Laika had died when the cabin overheated on the fourth orbit . In October 2002, Dimitri Malashenkov, one of the scientists behind the Sputnik 2 mission, revealed that Laika had died by the fourth circuit of flight from overheating.
