The name of the first artificial satellite is Sputnik 1. Launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1 marked the beginning of the space age and initiated the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The satellite was a spherical object, about the size of a beach ball, and it emitted radio signals that could be received on Earth. Sputnik 1 orbited the Earth approximately every 90 minutes, and its launch demonstrated advancements in rocket technology and satellite communication, significantly influencing science and technology in the years that followed.