Satellite

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik — the world's first artificial satellite — on October 4, 1957, triggering the Space Race. Today over 8,000 active satellites orbit Earth, providing GPS navigation, weather monitoring, military surveillance, internet access (Starlink), and communication for every phone call and internet packet crossing the ocean. Satellites have transformed meteorology (saving millions from storms), military intelligence, and global connectivity. GPS alone, provided free by the US military, enables over $1 trillion in economic activity annually. The growing problem of space debris — over 27,000 tracked objects — threatens satellite infrastructure that modern civilization depends upon.