NASA's History Program Office has released the fourth volume of the English translation of Russian space pioneer Boris Chertok's highly acclaimed memoirs, Rockets and People: The Moon Race.

WASHINGTON, Feb.

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MOSCOW When Sputnik took off 50 years ago today, the world gazed at the heavens in awe and apprehension, watching what seemed like the unveiling of a sustained Soviet effort to conquer space and score a stunning Cold War triumph.

By Vladimir Isachenkov MOSCOW - When Sputnik took off 50 years ago, the world gazed at the heavens in awe and apprehension, watching what seemed like the unveiling of a sustained Soviet effort to conquer space and score a stunning Cold War triumph.

SPUTNIK: The first satellite 50 years ago was as much an achievement of luck as science.