Sputnik and the Artificial Satellite Watch

In 1957, beeps were heard from space for the first time. The Soviets were the first to succeed! A satellite was orbiting the Earth… A simple satellite, incapable of transmitting its own location. At the Sonnenborgh Observatory in Utrecht, Professor Minnaert received a letter from the Soviet Union. It asked whether the Netherlands would also like to verify the signals. At his request, astronomer Kees de Jager mobilised amateur observers, whose observations he collected and sent to Moscow. When the US also requested observations – and offered 30,000 Dutch guilders for them – De Jager established the Artificial Satellite Watch and was able to hire someone to take over this work: Welmoet Slotenmaker.

• Artist’s impression of Sputnik over the Netherlands (credit: unknown)
• Welmoet Slotenmaker of the Artificial Satellite Watch (credit: Beatrijs)
• Newspapers on the launch of Sputnik can be found in the Dutch Delpher newspaper archive.
• Staff from the first space laboratory next to the ‘Spoetnikwatcher’ statue in the park near the Sonnenborgh Observatory in Utrecht (credit: SRON Archive).