On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Sputnik 1 (Спутник-1) became the first man-made satellite to orbit the Earth. Launched from the iconic R-7 Semyorka rocket, developed by the OKB-1 under Chief Designer Sergei Korolev from the German V-2, Sputnik reached as high as 939 kilometers. Intended for a 22-day mission, powered by its own battery, and stripped of much scientific equipment in a rush to beat the United States to outer space, the artificial satellite would remain in orbit until January 4, 1958,