Description ✓ Sputnik Space Robot ✓ Scientific Pin ✓ Hard Enamel Pin The Sputnik pin is part of our Space Robots Series and is based on original images of these robots... but with a twist. Relive historical times with this Sputnik enamel pin. A collectible badge for any outer space, astronaut fans, the Sputnik (1957) was the first-ever artificial Earth satellite. The word "sputnik" is Russian for satellite when interpreted in an astronomical context. It was launched into orbit by the USSR on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It orbited for three weeks before its batteries died and then orbited silently for two months before it fell back into the atmosphere.