04 January - Sputnik 1 falls out of orbit and burns up in 1958

 

Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union, re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and burned up on 04 January 1958. This event marked the end of its orbiting mission, which began on 04 October 1957 when Sputnik 1 was successfully launched into space. Sputnik 1 was a significant milestone in the history of space exploration, initiating the space age and sparking the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.