A small archive of photographs and documents relating to US observations of Sputnik satellites, 1957, comprising: 8 photographs of Sputniks 1 and 2, gelatin silver prints, 8 x 10½ inches (200 x 265 mm); a mimeographed inter-office memo from Floyd W. Stoller, 1 p, 4to, JPL, November 22, 1957, referencing the photographs and giving relative asimuths and elevations of Soviet "Satellites Alpha I and Beta ... as photographed by the JPL Contraves Cine-theodolite Installation," many pencil annotations; a mimeographed report by Paul E. Sandorff, Associate Professor, Aeronautical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, entitled "A Study of the Soviet Satellite Program," 8 pp, 4to, with transmittal notes from J.C. Hunsaker of MIT (December 17, 1957), from P.E.H. Leroy to Knowles, and from Knowles onwards (December 20, 1957) apparently to H.L. Flowers (January 2, 1958).
Provenance: Albert R. Hibbs.

PERIOD PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FIRST ARTIFICIAL EARTH SATELLITE. Sputnik 1, referred to by US authorities as "1957 Alpha I," went into orbit on October 4, 1957. Sputnik 2, "1957 Beta," carrying the dog Laika, was launched on November 3. JPL was involved in tracking the two satellites, using a device known as a cinetheodolite.