Name the first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.

• A. Sputnik 1
• B. Sputnik 2
• C. Luna 1
• D. Venera 1

Answer: (A)

This question tests your knowledge of the first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union and when it happened. Sputnik 1 earned its place in history on October 4, 1957, as the first human-made object placed into Earth orbit, signaling the start of the space age. Its simple metal-sphere design carried a radio beacon that transmitted signals back to Earth and allowed tracking of its orbit, which established that a satellite could reach and circle the planet.

The other options don’t fit because they represent later missions or different destinations. Sputnik 2 came after Sputnik 1 and carried a dog named Laika, but it wasn’t the first satellite. Luna 1, launched in 1959, was a lunar probe intended to study the Moon, not an Earth-orbiting satellite. Venera 1, launched in 1961, was a probe to Venus. So Sputnik 1 is the correct pick because it is the earliest Soviet Earth-orbiting satellite in 1957.