Star Points for October, 2007; by Curtis Roelle World Space Week Celebrates 50 Years In Space It has been fifty years since Sputnik 1, Earth's first artificial satellite, was launched into orbit. The event is also being commemorated by World Space Week (WorldSpaceWeek.org) from October 4 through 10. According to information from "TRW Space Log" Sputnik 1 lasted exactly three months until its orbit decayed on January 4, 1958. During its brief life it traveled 1,440 times around the world. Although it was short lived the events Sputnik put into motion, as well as changes that have occurred since its launch and demise, have been many. Sputnik kicked the space race between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) into high gear. A race that led, less than 12 years later, to the first manned landing on the surface of the moon. In all 24 Americans have been to the moon. Three of them made the trip twice and 12 have left their boot prints. One of the changes that has occurred since Sputnik is that the USSR exists no more since its breakup following the end of the Cold War. The race for the moon was one of the battles in that war. Although rockets carrying large warheads had been used in war since the German A-4 rocket (a.k.a. V-2) in World War II, they had never before been used for placing an object into orbit around the earth. With the post-war USSR in possession of nuclear weapons it was logical to assume that the next step could be the orbiting of atomic weapons where they would circle lazily yet menacingly until dropping from the sky to destroy cities with very little or no warning. The world has many of the same problems today that it did then. Rogue nations still threaten the safety and freedom of other nations with dangerous weapons. But in space at least cooperation exists in the building of the International Space Station (ISS). The United States has plans to return to the moon and perhaps even land on Mars in another 30 years. Satellites are commonly used for communication, imaging, weather forecasting, prospecting for minerals, astronomy, exploration of other worlds, and many other things. The world entered space 50 years ago and there's no turning back now. But the real truth is that our planet, and therefore us as well, have been in space from the time of its creation and since our own births. Everybody who has ever lived, everyone we have known, has been riding on this water covered rock called Earth as it wanders along on its journey through space. See the sights of space live at Bear Branch Nature Center (BBNC) at a free public star party with the Westminster Astronomical Society, Inc. (WASI) on Friday, October 19 starting at 7:30 p.m. There will also be shows in the planetarium that night. The star party is free and the nature center charges a very nominal fee for the planetarium ($1 for BBNC members and $2 for non-members). Make your planetarium reservations by calling BBNC directly at 410-848- 2517.