CIA declassified documents on the launch of the first satellite of the USSR
Central intelligence Agency (CIA) has declassified documents about the launch of the first satellite of the USSR, and space and ballistic programs of Moscow.
As follows from published materials, the CIA knew that the Soviet Union wants to be the first to launch an artificial Earth satellite.
As the Director of the CIA, Michael Pompeo, the publication of these materials dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the launch of the Soviet “Sputnik-1”.
“Exactly 60 years ago the Soviet Union launched “Sputnik-1″ that stunned the American public, but not the country’s leadership, President Dwight Eisenhower was aware of,” said Pompeo at the conference on national security issues.
Posted on the website of the CIA to the intelligence and analytical work programme of creating “Satellites 1, 2 and 3” and Soviet ballistic missiles in the period from 1955 to early 1960-ies.
“We believe that the USSR has the capability to launch Earth orbiting satellites that will collect scientific information and data limited military use in early 1957,” reads one of the declassified reports.
The first artificial satellite PS-1 (the Simplest satellite-1) was launched 4 October 1957. He successfully flew 92 days, until January 4, 1958, having made 1440 turns around the Earth.
Earlier it became known that the unique 12 documents from the Russian archives and museums associated with the launch of the first artificial satellite of the Earth will be published on the portal “Archives of Russia”.