Date with History: October 4

Sputnik's beeps set off a space race that a private rocket later helped finish.

One paperback for one calendar date: what happened on October 4, and who was born on it.

What happened on October 4

1957: Sputnik 1 becomes the first satellite to orbit Earth

Sputnik 1 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on October 4, 1957, becoming the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. The launch triggered Cold War panic in the United States and led directly to the creation of NASA.

2004: SpaceShipOne completes the first private flight to space

On October 4, 2004, the privately funded SpaceShipOne reached 367,500 feet for the second time in five days, winning the ten-million-dollar Ansari X Prize. The flight proved that space travel could be achieved outside government space programs.

Famous birthdays on October 4

1895 — Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton, born 1895, mastered silent-film stunts with a face that never smiled.

1946 — Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon, born 1946, built a career on roles that challenged easy answers.

Nearby dates

October 3 · October 5 · All October dates

Part of Date with History, a 366-book collection with one book for every date of the year. 5″×8″ paperback, cream paper.

Historical selections are editorially researched. This is a date-specific book, not a personalized or custom-made product.