At the 1955 Copenhagen meeting of the International Astronautical Federation, a Russian observer named Leonid Sedov announced that Russia would send up satellites during the International Geophysical Year, 1957-58. Hardly anyone paid attention, but Sputnik I went into orbit on Oct. 4, 1957. Leonid Sedov seemed to have the word.
No one knows for sure which Soviet scientist, if any, should get most credit for the success of the Soviet space effort, but it has slowly become clear that Sedov is nearest to being official chief of the program. His full title is Chairman of the Interplanetary Communications Commission of the [Soviet]...
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