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TRANSCRIPT
Sputnik
the Manitowoc
Connection
Terry L. Dimmick 031807
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Back in the 50’s when things were just swell
– way back before digital, cable, and cell
with seams on our nylons and fins on our cars
we dreamed of the future
Then – one day in October 1957 -
The Russians!
They beat us –
up into the heavens!
And then, just
to add to our
Cold War type
fears, TIME
named some
Russian guy
Man of the
Year!
One rocket for Russia
– one big leap for man.
On that fateful Red Monday
the Space Age began.
Sputnik 1 was the first -
a big shiny chrome ball -
but it wasn’t the last
there were 10 Sputniks in all!
The next carried Laika,
a cosmonaut pup.
Unfortunately - though
he survived the ride up,
and became the first space
traveler of the 20th century -
Sputnik II (and the doggy)
burned up on re-entry.
Sputnik III was cone-shaped with
antennas and arms and an instrument
payload (no critters were harmed).
Sputnik IV is
the one that has
caused all the
fuss – ‘cause it
went up over
there and came
down upon us!
It weighed five full tons – this big
Russian tin can, - and instead of a
dog, Sputnik IV held a man!
Well, not a real man in this Soviet rocket.
The word “dummy” you see, spelled in
Russian is “MAKET”.
It was a test run
for a real live
space man,
would ride
Sputnik next -
(at least that was
the plan)
As best-laid
plans go (for
both mice and
for men)
Sputnik IV had
some problems
and met a bad
end.
Did the rocket misfire?
Was some part out of place?
Well, they had one more first –
yes, the first
Did the rocket misfire?
Was some part out of place?
Well, they had one more first –
yes, the first
For two years, three months, and
some 20-odd days Sputnik IV
stayed aloft, then came down in a
blaze.
What goes up must come down,
that’s as true now as then.
The big
problem was
no one knew
where or
when.
With a whole
big wide world
where this
thing could
have crashed
and plenty of
oceans where
it could have
splashed -
What chance it would pick the Midwest to
come down? – and not just the Midwest
It came down in our town!
While most of the Sputnik
burned up from the heat,
a twenty-pound chunk came down on 8th Street and embedded itself in a three-inch-deep hole.
Later, found
by police
officers out
on patrol -
it was studied and photographed –
the news of the day!
Though it’s been part of a
Rahr-West display,
Manitowoc’s
ties to the early
space age
have been kind
of forgotten –
no longer
“front page”.
It’s time that this
oversight just
has to end.
SPUTNIKFEST
It’s Coming!
Tell all your friends.