R-7 rocket launches. The photos document the historic launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, which ushered in the era of spaceflight.

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

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

Sputnik 1 in orbit: The spherical satellite model with four long antennas orbits 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 technological superiority of the Soviet Union, further intensifying the space race between the superpowers.