Allow me to take the next step, kinda, from Eroica's question and ask....

How much longer did it take mankind to launch into the realm beyond Earth's gravitational grip since the launch of the first orbital object (ie Sputnik)? Who was the pioneer behind this project?

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Lighten up! This is a stellar board! Author: duh.

"The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do..." Author: Galileo supposedly.