SPACE technology has been a sinew of military power ever since the Soviet Union shocked America into the space race when it launched Sputnik 1 into orbit 51 years ago.

51年前苏联将1号人造地球卫星发射上轨，此举使美国大为震惊并引发了太空竞争；

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In 1957, the Soviet union took other nations by surprise by launching the first satellite "Sputnik 1" into space, an event which marked the beginning of the space age.

1957年，苏联成功发射第一枚人造卫星卫星一号，此举不但令举世震惊，更标志人类从此进入太空时代。

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American unease was only heightened when Sputnik 1 was followed amonth later by the successful launching of Sputnik 2, which carried thedog Laika, the first living passenger, into space.

在"Sputnik 1"成功发射后仅仅一个月后 "Sputnik 2"号也发射成功 它还携带了第一个活的乘客 小狗"Laika"进行了太空飞行.这一切增加了美国人的不安.

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The Soviet Union launched the first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4th 1957.

ECONOMIST: The race to the moon

The launch of Sputnik 1 generated fear across the US - and a quiet realisation that the country had fallen technologically behind the Soviet Union.

BBC: What if the Soviet Union had beaten the US to the Moon?

For 1, the science had been done since Newton, the basic feasibility had been demonstrated (V2s, Sputnik), and it was a matter of money.

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