1957: Sputnik satellite blasts into space. A Russian satellite has been launched into space - the first man-made object ever to leave the Earth's atmosphere. The Russian news agency, Tass, said the satellite Sputnik was now 560 miles (900 kilometres) above the Earth and circling it every hour-and-a-half. Scientists predict the metal sphere will eventually burn up in the atmosphere but they hope it will send important data back to Earth before doing so.
In south-central Kansas, the Wichita metropolitan area is home to over 600,000 people. Wichita is the largest city in the state in terms of both land area and population. 'The Air Capital' is a major manufacturing center for the aircraft industry and the home of Wichita State University.
Map of the United States with Kansas highlighted. Kansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. According to the 2010 United States Census, Kansas is the 34th most populous state with 7006285313200000000â 2,853,132 inhabitants but the 13th largest by land area spanning 81,758.72 square miles (211,754.1 km2) of land.