Media

Ukraine has bombed the Belgorod dam, damaging a sluice gate. The water draining from the reservoir is, in turn, creating enormous problems for Russian troops downstream, cutting them off from their supply lines. Russia is again claiming to have successfully launched its first nuclear-powered missile, although this remains to be seen. And the war crimes of the Russian Federation continue, with constant shelling of civilians. The images of explosions throughout the city of Kherson are shocking. Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, the escalation has been temporarily postponed by Hurricane Melissa. But there will be developments in a week or ten days, you'll see. And many more news updates, because THERE'S NEWS ON THE FRONT! Map for this weekend: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1If-WxW9pVnrqPjTThAU2xCe8_asz6yQ&usp=sharing

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear crisis is over, thanks to Ukrainian operators who managed to restore two 750KV power lines and reinstate external power to the plant's cooling system.

The invaders' crimes against civilians are spiraling; each night is worse than the last, with continuous shelling of residential areas. This Thursday, the 23rd, for example, a missile was launched at a kindergarten, killing one person and injuring many others.

And the most anticipated news: the US has finally decided to impose sanctions on Russian oil giants. Let's hope that – for once – Agent Orange doesn't change his mind.

And many more news updates, because THERE'S NEWS ON THE FRONT!

Map for this weekend: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1LhmoJqpsnqc41WHlHp0ooGut4tx3vhk&usp=sharing

It seems we're seeing some light at the end of the long tunnel of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear crisis; let's hope it's true.

The Russian Federation's war crimes continue, including cold-blooded murders and continuous shelling of civilians, while their situation on the front lines is dire, with no water and serious supply problems.

Meanwhile, after agreeing to a 48-hour ceasefire, the Taliban decided to break it by attacking the Pakistani army, restarting hostilities. However, it didn't last long because a new truce has been negotiated in Qatar that could be successful.

And many more news updates, because THERE'S NEWS ON THE FRONT!

Map for this weekend: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1LhmoJqpsnqc41WHlHp0ooGut4tx3vhk&usp=sharing

Collage made out of several Saturn V launches during the Apollo missions. The sound is a remix of NASA audio recordings.

Enjoy!

The soviet success in putting not one, but satellites in earth orbit in less than a month started a general anxiety among US citizens. It looked as in any moment a nuclear bomb could fall over their heads. Anyway, there was an apparent huge gap in military technology between both countries...

Well, no. Both countries where paired. In fact Wernher von Braun's and his team had been prohibited to attempt to launch any satellite, in spite of having the capabilities to do so a year before Sputnik was flown. But nothing stopped the fear, fueled by a disinformed and sensationalistic media.

Eisenhower's answer was to be the Vanguard, a satellite/rocket civil project meant to show US citizes that their country was up to the challenge. The problem was that it all blew up to the sky... literally.

A month after changing history with their Sputnik, Soviet engineers, led by Sergei Korolev, once again surprised the world. This time it was not a simple ball with a radio; they had managed to put a living being into orbit: the dog Laika.

We will learn how and why it was decided to sacrifice Laika at the same time that we will clarify some of the myths and lies that even today continue to hide what really happened before and after the Sputnik 2 mission.

Laika was not –far from it– the first living being to reach space, which is not the same as entering orbit. We will know something about other animals, such as monkeys or dogs that were released beyond the Karman line before the Russian dog; some managed to return, although many were not so lucky.

Laika had led the way. It wouldn't take long for her to be followed by a human.

Today we begin with the official start of the Space Race, the launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, the event that changed history forever.

But first we will try to understand how the Soviets, who had barely gained access to Nazi missile technology, managed in a very short time and without outside help to surpass von Braun's designs and his team from Peenemünde.

We will get to know the mysterious character of the "Chief Designer", the alias that hid the true identity of the great Sergei Korolyov, who would not be known in the West or in the Soviet Union itself until his death in 1966 and the process of creating his R-7, the first rocket to place an artificial object in orbit.

And of course, Sputnik. That glowing sphere with antennae that just beeped, but changed the world while creating widespread hysteria in the West.

See you up there!

Acknowledgements: Mercedes Pullman