On this day in 1957, the Soviet Union inaugurated the "Space Age"
with its launch of Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. The spacecraft, named Sputnik after the Russian word for "satellite,"
was launched at 10:29 p.m. Moscow time from the Tyuratam launch
base in the Kazakh Republic. Sputnik had a diameter of 22 inches
and weighed 184 pounds and circled Earth once every hour and 36 minutes. Traveling at 18,000 miles an hour, its elliptical orbit had
an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 584 miles and a perigee
(nearest point) of 143 miles.

Visible with binoculars before sunrise or after sunset, Sputnik transmitted radio signals back to Earth strong enough to be
picked up by amateur radio operators. Those in the United States
with access to such equipment tuned in and listened in awe as the
beeping Soviet spacecraft passed over America several times a day.

Before digital screens and a huge catalog of movies for passengers
to choose from, in-flight entertainment looked rather different too.

1925

TIM MAGUIRE

On this day in 1962, Johnny Carson took over from Jack
Paar as host of the late-night talk program The Tonight
Show. Carson went on to host The Tonight Show
Starring Johnny Carson for three decade.

JOHNNY CARSON AS CARNAC THE MAGNIFICENT (1978)

On September 30, 1822, Joseph Marion Hernández (1788-1857) 
became the first Hispanic to be elected to the United States
Congress.

Born a Spanish citizen, Hernández would die in Cuba, but in
between he became the first Hispanic American to serve at
the highest levels of any of three branches of the American
federal government.

ED DANAHUE

Tonight Starring Steve Allen was a^[ talk show hosted by Steve
Allen. It was the first version of what eventually became known
as The Tonight Show. Tonight was the first late-night talk show,
as well as the first late night television series of any kind to
achieve long-term success.

Space Man Bill Dana as Jose Jimenez

From left: Bandleader Skitch Henderson. Eydie Gorme, Steve
Allen and Steve Lawrence.