R-7 rocket before launch. The photographs document the historic launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, which ushered in the era of space exploration.

R-7 rocket on the launch pad: The Soviet R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile, originally developed for military purposes, was adapted as a launch vehicle for the first artificial Earth satellite.

Rocket launch: The images capture the moment of launch — an impressive sight with fire and smoke as the R-7 lifts off from Baikonur Cosmodrome into space.

Sputnik 1 in orbit: The spherical satellite model with four long antennas orbits the Earth. Sputnik transmits radio signals that can be received worldwide.

The Sputnik launch marked the beginning of the Space Age and triggered Sputnik shock in the West. The United States was caught off guard by the Soviet Union’s technological superiority, further intensifying the space race between the superpowers.