Russia launched Sputnik on 10/4/1957. While the US had announced similar plans, the fact that Russia did it first shook up the US belief that we were the world leaders in science.
I remember seeing this first attempt to launch our own satellite, on 12/6/1957, fail miserably. Several others also failed.
The US finally put Explorer I into orbit on 1/31/1958. We ultimately were the first and only country to land man on the moon.
