[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 135 (Thursday, October 2, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1915-E1916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPUTNIK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. GEORGE E. BROWN, JR.

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 1, 1997

  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, October 4 marks the 40th 
anniversary of one of the most significant milestones in the history of 
humanity's exploration of space. I of course am speaking of the 
launching of the world's first artificial satellite--Sputnik--by the 
Soviet Union on October 4, 1957.
  At the time, the successful orbiting of Earth's ``second moon'' had 
wide-ranging repercussions. It was an enormous blow to the American 
national psyche, and it led to an agonizing reappraisal of our 
educational system, a questioning of our assumed technological 
superiority in the world, and alarm over the national security 
implications of what the Soviet Union had accomplished. Thus, October 
4, 1957 marked not only the birth of the space age, but also the birth 
of the space race between America and the Soviet Union--a race that was 
simply one more symbol of the cold war rivalry of the two superpowers.
  Yet, from the vantage point of 40 years later, that rivalry is not 
the main legacy of Sputnik. Instead, its legacy is embodied in the 
countless ways in which humanity's exploration and utilization of space 
have enriched all of us and fundamentally transformed our lives.
  We take for granted so much of what the space program has 
accomplished, that it is important to remember what the last four 
decades of space activities have brought us. These include, but are by 
no means limited to the following: Satellite communications, which has 
brought the rest of the world as close to us as our telephone receiver 
and our television set; meteorological satellites, which have 
revolutionized weather forecasting and storm warnings; space-based 
remote sensing, which has promoted our national security, helped us to 
understand and manage our environment and our resources, as well as 
helping us to monitor natural hazards; and satellite-based navigation, 
which has spawned numerous terrestrial applications and products, and 
which offers the promised of improved air traffic management. In 
addition, space research has left a wealth of technologies in its wake 
that have provided new materials, medical diagnostic and monitoring 
devices, improved power systems--the list goes on and on--to benefit 
our citizens. It is no exaggeration to say the space has spawned 
industries and jobs that have become a significant part of our Nation's 
economy.
  Beyond the material benefits, our first 40 years in space have led to 
dramatic increases in our understanding of planet Earth, of the Sun and 
our solar system, and of the universe beyond. Space research has led to 
numerous rewritings of the science textbooks with no end in sight. 
Anyone who has marveled at the discoveries made by the Hubble space 
telescope or the Galileo spacecraft cannot doubt the truth of that 
statement.
  And of course 40 years of accomplishments in space have had an 
enormous inspirational value--whether through seeing images of human 
footsteps on the Moon, images of Earth as a beautiful blue globe, or 
images of an overachieving little robotic rover on the surface of the 
Mars. The value of such inspiration should not be underestimated.
  Finally, it should be noted that four decades after the event that 
triggered the space race, we have come full circle and are approaching 
space exploration as an endeavor to be conducted through international 
cooperation rather than competition. Few may remember that Sputnik was 
launched as a component of the International Geophysical Year [IGY], an 
early experiment in international scientific cooperation. Now, 40 years 
later, international cooperation is becoming the norm for both human 
space flight and space science research.
  Forty years ago, human space flight was just a goal--and a goal 
framed in terms of the superpower rivalry. Today, on the other hand, we 
are attempting nothing less than the peaceful merger of the human space 
flight programs of Russia and the United States, as

[[Page E1916]]

well as cooperation with a dozen nations on the development of a truly 
international space station. When we read reports of the difficulties 
that United States-Russian cooperation in space is encountering, it is 
well worth remembering how far we have come from the days of a 
dangerous rivalry, and how much we are trying to accomplish together. 
Space is not the province of a single nation--it is the province of all 
humanity.
  In sum, we have accomplished much in the 40 years since that tiny 
metallic globe circled the Earth for the first time. We cannot predict 
with any great confidence what the next 40 years will bring. However, 
if the past is any guide, we can look forward to our future in space 
with anticipation, hope, and a sense of wonder.

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