Which country launched the first artificial satellite?

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957, marking the start of the Space Age. It was the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth and the first human-made object in space. Sputnik 1 was a small metal sphere with radio transmitters that sent simple beeps back to Earth. Its launch shocked the world and accelerated space programs in the United States and elsewhere. The event remains one of the most important milestones in space exploration.