The beginning of the space age is widely marked by the launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. This event was not only the first successful artificial satellite but also signified the start of the Cold War space race between the U.S. and the USSR. Sputnik’s beeping signal captured global attention and instigated a shift in military and technological strategies. Additionally, it spurred significant advancements in science and engineering and escalated competition for space exploration, leading to further milestones such as manned spaceflights and lunar missions.