When a Russian rocket lofted Sputnik 1 into orbit on October 4, 1957, the worldwide reaction was a mixture of awe and apprehension. The Space Age—and the Space Race—had begun.

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, I’m your host, Paul Vogelzang.

 You are listening to the actual telemetry signal from Sputnik 1, launched October 4, 1957.

Sixty years ago, before most people living today were born, the beep-beep-beep of Sputnik, the Soviet Union’s first artificial satellite, and this sound was heard round the world. It was the sound of wonder and foreboding. Nothing would ever be quite the same again — in geopolitics, in science and technology, in everyday life and the capacity of the human species.

As part of our Smithsonian Associates, Art of Living, and newest Inside Science programming, we are joined today via Skype with Kelly Beatty, award-winning senior editor for Sky & Telescope magazine, explores the events leading up to Sputnik’s launch exactly 60 years ago, the political fallout that led to America’s response (Explorer 1), the formation of NASA, and the crucial but largely forgotten role that everyday citizens played in tracking the first satellites.

That, of course was our guest today, Kelly Beatty, who we welcome to The Not Old Better Show immediately!

Enjoy!