Would you believe that I was thinking of magnesium but I got sidetracked before I could research the matter, rather than just making a guess.

Dave Mitsky

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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

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.

Yes. Does it look like I guessed? [Notice it is the only metal of correct US spelling in my limited bludgeoning.]

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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.

3 and a half years by my reckoning.

The Russians sent up sputnik on October 4 1957 and on Feb 12th 1961 they launched a rocket to Venus.

I'm going to go with Sergei Aleksandrovich Afanas'ev because he's the first onthis page

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Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

That's certainly a good try, but it is not the correct answer. It was prior to 1961.

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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.

ok then. I'm assuming you take lunar gravity to be different than earth gravity


January 2, 1959 was Luna 1

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"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


-Cross
My travel blog

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Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

Nope, it traveled beyond the Earth-Moon system.

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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.

Pioneer 4, which flew by the moon and achieved escape velocity on March 4th, 1959. I don't know who was responsible for any of the pioneer probes, but I appreciate the pun!

Nice but nope.

Ug, now I know how Arneb feels. It's funny how they just leap out at you even when no one is trying.

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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.

I'm reading the NASA article on Luna 1 and it seems like it should be the right answer; it is currently in a solar orbit.

Agreed, but though it is accurate, it is limited. There was yet another, more colorful event.

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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.

it was launched two months after Luna 1.

__________________
"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


-Cross
My travel blog

Some of my Astrophotography


Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

this is crazy.

January 31 1958 Explorer 1 was launched, but it never left Earth orbit.


http://www.intute.ac.uk/timeline_Spa...atellites.html


according to this article only Sputnik I and II were before it. Luna 1 was the next mission.


that means you're looking for something after the correct answer. I'm going to go back and read your question.

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"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


-Cross
My travel blog

Some of my Astrophotography


Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

wording is kinda funny, but I take it to mean when did Humans leave Earth orbit (reach escape velocity)

__________________
"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


-Cross
My travel blog

Some of my Astrophotography


Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

Yes, my wording is a bit poor there, sorry. It is meant to suggest the launch of anything beyond the Earth - Moon system.

This is not an easy one to find for those who are unaware of this event. [I feel anything I say could easily give it a way, however, so I will wait till later today for a hint.]

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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.

done by humans? the earth has ejected thins over time during impacts. of course that was before humans sent anything into space.

here is a list of things put into space during the early years.

http://my.execpc.com/~culp/space/timeline.html

I'm awaiting your hint.

__________________
"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


-Cross
My travel blog

Some of my Astrophotography


Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

Maybe you refer to the fact that Luna 1, after reaching escape velocity but before flying by the Moon released a stream of sodium, whose colorful (sic!) orange trail allowed tracking of the spacecraft from the ground. But I admit I can't find anything in your question pointing me to this answer (except for the colourful in the hint)-

However, that doesn't change the date: The launch was Jan 2, 1959, and escape velocity was achieved on that day; both the third stage and the probe entered a solar orbit when they missed the Moon.

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Yes, it was with a rocket for the purpose stated. It carried instrumentation for other projects, too.

Ok, and I have given Eroica time to jump in. [Through searching, I learned that he knows the answer, if he can go back several years to our posts.] Also, I don't want to drag it out as the answer may make this bludgeoner a bludgeonee (for reasons that may be all too apparent).

The first attempt at this was years before Sputnik, in the mid 1940s.

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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.

Well, you know how I look colorful things.... I also like colorful people. Also, the pioneer was not German, but.....

__________________
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.