The Soviet Union launched the first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4th 1957.

ECONOMIST: The race to the moon

The famous face was used in an experiment and carried in a laser beam to a man-made satellite orbiting the moon, NASA said Thursday.

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The NASA scientist said the odds of an operational satellite being disabled by space debris remain quite small, though he points out that two have been lost after being hit by man-made debris -- a French satellite in 1996 and an American craft in 2009.

CNN: Space harpoon plan to nail orbital garbage

Michael Kucharek, a spokesman for NORAD, said his agency heard about the sightings, too, and can confirm it was not from anything man-made, like a plane or falling satellite.

CNN: Reported meteor lights up East Coast -- and social media

Michael Kucharek, a spokesman for NORAD, said his agency heard about the sightings, too, and can confirm it was not from anything man-made, such as a plane or falling satellite.

CNN: Meteor lights up East Coast -- and social media

It blasted a disused weather satellite into tiny fragments that threaten the safety of other man-made objects in space.

ECONOMIST: After a successful Olympics, China��s next spectacular