Sputnik I – in Christchurch newspapers

Sputnik I, from the NASA websiteNo fewer than 83 reports were carried by The Christchurch Star-Sun and The Press in the first ten days after the launch of Sputnik I.

What follows is a list of articles available for public viewing on microfilm at the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre.

Dated October 5 to October 15, 1957, the articles feature local reaction to the story, graphics mapping the satellite's trajectory over New Zealand and sightings from around the country of the satellite and its rocket.

Newspaper articles

  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Soviet launches earth satellite5/10/1957, p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Soviet plans large man-made satellites 7/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Experiment only, says scientist 7/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'Satellite poses a life-death quer'‘ 7/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Americans staggered by new Russian scientific success7/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Russian official proud 7/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Dunedin man hears signals at week-end 7/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Invercargill misses out on satellite 7/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Man's conquest of outer space begins 7/10/1957, p. 7
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Soviet satellite in space opens big question 7/10/1957, p. 9
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun U.S. satellite reactions 7/10/1957, p. 9
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'Historic moment' – Professor Lawden 7/10/1957, p. 9
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 184lb Russian satellite close to N.Z. 7/10/1957, p. 9
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'Echoes not coming from satellite' 7/10/1957, p. 9
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Amateur radio operators follow signals 7/10/1957, p. 9
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Russian satellite is crossing N.Z. only in daylight 7/10/1957, p. 9
  • The Press Russian earth satellite 7/10/1957, p. 10
  • The Press Soviet satellite may be visible in New Zealand 7/10/1957, p. 10
  • The Press A stupendous achievement Professor Lawden's view 7/10/1957, p. 10
  • The Press Russia launches satellite 7/10/1957, p. 11
  • The Press Facts and figures 7/10/1957, p. 11
  • The Press Satellite will pass over all countries 7/10/1957, p. 11
  • The Press Signals in code 7/10/1957, p. 11
  • The Press Soviet success shocks U.S. 7/10/1957, p. 11
  • The Press American test 7/10/1957, p. 11
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Rocket carrier following satellite has been drawn within orbit8/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun U.S. rocket ready to rush beyond Russians’ satellite8/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Sighting reports queried 8/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun She 'heard' the satellite 8/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun New Zealanders may see satellite again to-night 8/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun No meaning from satellite's signals 8/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Satellite seen from city as bright light 8/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Press Satellite sighted by man in Christchurch 8/10/1957, p. 8
  • The Press Reports in Dunedin 8/10/1957, p. 8
  • The Press Wellington sightings 8/10/1957, p. 8
  • The Press Satellite's paths 8/10/1957, p. 8
  • The Press Fruitless watch in Auckland 8/10/1957, p. 8
  • The Press Appeal to radio amateurs 8/10/1957, p. 8
  • The Press General news – Of satellites 8/10/1957, p. 8
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Throw your bombers on fire advises Khrushchev 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun What a satellite can tell 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'First' photographs of satellite taken 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Transmitter appears to be fading 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Satellite seen by many people last night 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Satellite due soon after 8 p.m. 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Congress probes U.S. missile race 'failure' 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'Interrogation of satellite?' 9/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Press Satellites orbit study continues in Christchurch 9/10/1957, p. 7
  • The Press How the satellite remains in orbit 9/10/1957, p. 13
  • The Press Plans for U.S. rocket 10/10/1957, p. 13
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'Sputnik' is not tumbling 10/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun No landings on moon for generations, says expert 10/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Man-made meteorites from Russian Satellite predicted10/10/1957, p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Rocket nearer earth 10/10/1957 p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Transmitter output weak at Auckland 10/10/1957, p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'Pravda' tells how the satellite was carried by rocket10/10/1957, p. 15
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Three 'objects' circling round globe to-day 10/10/1957, p. 15
  • The Press Paths of the space satellite 10/10/1957, p. 7
  • The Press Reports wanted on satellite sightings 10/10/1957, p. 7
  • The Press Rocket, not satellite, seen over Canterbury 10/10/1957, p. 14
  • The Press Photograph of satellite 10/10/1957, p. 14
  • The Press Film record of satellite 10/10/1957, p. 14
  • The Press Progress of satellite 10/10/1957, p. 15
  • The Press Tracking of orbit 10/10/1957, p. 15
  • The Press 'Pravda' gives details of launching 10/10/1957 p. 20
  • The Press Little loss of speed 10/10/1957, p. 20
  • The Press Future plans of Russia 10/10/1957, p. 20
  • The Press Link with Lord Rutherford 10/10/1957, p. 20
  • The Press First U.S. satellite 'within two or three months' 10/10/1957, p. 20
  • The Press No satellite for Britain 10/10/1957, p. 20
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Times to see rocket from city 11/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun 'Satellite' seen beneath Venus last night 11/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun British government urges U.S. to drop secrecy 11/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Students’ moon scares Tasmania 11/10/1957, p. 11
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun U.S. press critical of Mr Eisenhower’s satellite statement11/10/1957, p. 18
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Satellite may record photographs 11/10/1957, p. 18
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Satellite's rocket casing moves nearer earth 12/10/1957, p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Times to see rocket from city 12/10/1957, p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Students plot the satellite 12/10/1957, p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Rockets timed by city physicists 12/10/1957, p. 3
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Soviet satellite is expected to stay aloft for a year 14/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Soviet rocket should be seen to-night 14/10/1957, p. 1
  • The Christchurch Star-Sun Tracking the satellite: first stage of man's journey into space15/10/1957, p. 9
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