The term 'EARLY SATELLITE' can be summarized as the first artificial satellite, SPUTNIK, which was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. SPUTNIK was the first successful launch of an artificial satellite into Earth's orbit, and its launch marked the beginning of the Space Age. The satellite was about the size of a basketball and weighed 184 pounds. It orbited the Earth for three months before burning up in the atmosphere. SPUTNIK's launch sparked a space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, leading to the development of more advanced satellites and eventually to the first human spaceflight.