News bulletin in 1957: Sputnik stuns the world. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had advance knowledge about the Soviets' work on Sputnik, which was launched by a rocket on Oct. 4, 1957. The documents indicate that U.S. intelligence and military officials and members of the Eisenhower administration not only knew that the Soviet Union was planning to launch Sputnik, but knew it could be put into orbit by the end of 1957. The launch of Sputnik opened the space age and became a major victory for the Kremlin that highlighted its military might and technological abilities. Before the launch, the CIA issued two National Intelligence Estimates that included possible timelines for what was then called an "earth satellite vehicle."

Source: Fox News October 04, 2017 22:45 UTC