<P> Sputnik 1 ( / ˈspʊtnɪk / or / ˈspʌtnɪk / ; `` Satellite - 1 '' , or `` PS - 1 '' , Простейший Спутник - 1 or Prosteyshiy Sputnik - 1 , `` Elementary Satellite 1 '' ) was the first artificial Earth satellite . The Soviet Union launched it into an elliptical low Earth orbit on 4 October 1957 . It was a 58 cm ( 23 in ) diameter polished metal sphere , with four external radio antennas to broadcast radio pulses . Its radio signal was easily detectable even by amateurs , and the 65 ° inclination and duration of its orbit made its flight path cover virtually the entire inhabited Earth . This surprise success precipitated the American Sputnik crisis and triggered the Space Race , a part of the Cold War . The launch ushered in new political , military , technological , and scientific developments . </P>
who is the first man made satellite in space
Sputnik 1