Answer :
The launching of the Russian satellite "Sputkik" was a major even in the Cold War and sparked the "space race". "It raised fears that the Soviet Union could drop a nuclear bomb directly on the United States" would be the best answer.
Answer: It raised fears that the Soviet Union could drop a nuclear bomb directly on the United States.
Context: The Sputnik satellite was sent into orbit by the USSR on October 4, 1957. The Soviets announced its mission as a scientific one, to study the solar system. In the Cold War atmosphere, of course, Americans were wary of what other motives the USSR might have had. The Soviets launched Sputnik 2 in November, 1957, with a dog on board. The USA scrambled to get its own satellite program operational, launching the first US satellite, Explorer, on January 1, 1958.