Sputnik I Shock and Awe

[Rick Kwan]

In the last couple of days, there have been some interesting articles
about Sputnik I from the perspectives of some unique groups of
people. They include the following:

Yahoo News:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070930/ap_on_sc/sputnik_s_secrets;_ylt=Am46sP_7sUmK8ip0AA74awOs0NUE
Title: Sputnik at 50: An improvised triumph
Author: Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press Writer
Synopsis: Interviews with Sputnik scientists involved in Sputnik, the
son of Nikita Kruschev, etc. Plus the identity of the real chief
scientist finally revealed.

JPL:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1487
Title: First Contact: Sputnik
Author: unknown
Synopsis: The JPL team, working on Explorer I, when they learned
about Sputnik, how they picked up the signal.

Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/01/AR2007100101678.html?wpisrc=newsletter
Title: 50 Years Ago, Launch of a New World
Author: Joel Achenbach, Washington Post Staff Writer
Synopsis: How Washington learned about Sputnik, how Eisenhower may
have deliberately let the Soviet Union launch the first man-made
satellite, the public relations disaster that ensued. (This article
may require registration.)