[FPSPACE] Sptunik anniversary article, from Agency France Pres se.

[Sven Grahn]

It has been an interesting couple of weeks trying to describe to young journalists what transpired during these 50 years. 

Many accounts focus only on the exploration spectaculars and forget about the hum-drum launches of photorecon and other military space systems. 

Also largely ignored are the other everyday applications served by the less glorious workhorses of the space age.

 I also try to counteract some of the "winner writes the history" effect, like explaining that the Viking landings on Mars in 1976 were NOT the first successful touchdown on another planet. 

I find a certain solace, though, in that journalists nowadays almost never question the practical value of spaces technology! That's progress...

Sven