October 11, 1957
SPUTNIK: Washington, 10 – The Soviet artificial satellite Sputnik is on schedule, despite the number of days it has been in orbit, bombarded by microscopic meteorites. Based on today’s observations, American scientists say that it appeared to have dispelled predictions by those scientists who had predicted that the satellite would become a fireball. Meanwhile, the Americans are completing plans to launch satellites with 13 powerful rockets and are considering even broader plans. Assurances today by US experts on satellites are more optimistic than the Russian announcements regarding the fate of Sputnik. According to them, the satellite is holding to its initial orbit of the Earth which it completes in 96.1 minutes. The Blossom Point station in Maryland today received strong clear signals from the satellite between 11.48 and 12.01 GMT, during which time it crossed the United States from northwest to southeast. The signals were received at 40 megacycles. The satellite also crossed the USA at 10.29 and 13.34 GMT. In the USA today, for the first time a group of observers using a telescope saw the rocket that is tracking the satellite. The rocket appears to be gradually approaching Earth.
