Sputnik was the first artificial satellite launched into space by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. This groundbreaking event marked the beginning of the Space Race, a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to achieve significant advancements in space exploration and technology. Sputnik's successful launch demonstrated the Soviet Union's technological prowess and spurred the United States to accelerate its own space program, ultimately leading to a series of scientific advancements and explorations in the following decades.
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