SPUTNIK was a satellite invented by the soviet union. It was launched on October 4, 1957.The launching of this satellite started the space race between the United States of America (USA) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Sputnik was the first in the sputnik program launched by the U.S.S.R. sputnik1 came to an end after being in space for 22 days. Its batteries died. It stopped transmitting on October 26, 1957. It stayed in space for another 3 months in orbit until it burned up on January 4, 1958. It was reentering Earths atmosphere traveling at 37 million miles an hour. 

Sputnik 1 just its 50th anniversary