Sputnik 50th Anniversary is October 4

Sputnik 50th Anniversary is October 4

New Documentary Film - SPUTNIK MANIA - Offers Media a Wealth of Freshly Uncovered Historic Footage

New Film Clips, Expert Interviews, Telephone Press Briefing and Special D.C. Event to Support Sputnik Anniversary

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- OCTOBER 4 IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAUNCH OF SPUTNIK AND THE DAWN OF THE SPACE AGE. A new documentary film- SPUTNIK MANIA-has just been completed in conjunction with the anniversary. In addition, the Sputnik Media Center has been established to offer journalists a clearinghouse of historical footage, expert commentators and a national telephone press briefing.

David Hoffman, director of SPUTNIK MANIA, pored through thousands of hours of archival footage and recently declassified Cold War documents to create an insightful look at not only the birth of the space age, but also the Sputnik "mania" that spread worldwide over the following years. Much of the material in SPUTNIK MANIA has not been seen in decades.

The film reveals that the launch of Sputnik was a deep shock to the American public, inspiring both excitement and fear. The 184-pound Sputnik I and the powerful rocket that bore it into orbit not only spawned a scientific revolution, but also triggered international suspicion and even panic in some circles, and accelerated the nuclear arms race.

   SPUTNIK MANIA clips available for rebroadcast:    -- Extensive American and Russian reaction to Sputnik launch.   -- Then-Major John Glenn on a quiz show just 3 hours after the launch,      discussing the satellite four years before becoming the first American      to orbit the earth.   -- American schoolchildren building and testing their own rockets.   -- Coverage of the dog Laika, first living creature in space, and reaction      as world realized the dog was going to die.   -- Families gathering around telescopes, tracing Sputnik's path.   -- Shots of Wernher von Braun, former Nazi scientist whose rockets gave      America a fighting chance in the space race.   -- Religious leaders predicting the Second Coming or world's end.   -- Americans building bomb shelters, donning gas masks and preparing for      nuclear war amidst general fear around satellite launch.    SPUTNIK MEDIA CENTER - Resources for Media Only    Electronic Press Kit:  

15-minute collection of broadcast-quality clips from SPUTNIK MANIA available for rebroadcast. Credit: "from the film Sputnik Mania."

Television stations access clips through Pathfire and C-Band Analog satellite.

   -- Pathfire download: navigate to DMG Content Provider Panel, select News,      Video News Feeds, VNF Provider A. Select Sputnik 50th Anniv Clips tab.      Double-click on Slug to preview package contents.   -- Clips available over C-Band Analog satellite at 2:00 pm EDT on Sept.      25, Sept. 28, Oct. 1 and Oct. 3 at G26/C16, D/L:  4020 H.   

Viewing-quality versions of clips available at www.SputnikMania.com. Screener version of film selectively available -- 202-533-1929 or patricia@renewcomm.com. Please only media calls.

   Space Race Speakers Bureau:   -- David Hoffman, director of SPUTNIK MANIA and over 100 documentary      television specials and series.   -- Jay Walker, executive producer of SPUTNIK MANIA, one of America's top      entrepreneurs and founder of Priceline.com. Extraordinarily, Walker      owns an original, authentic Sputnik created in 1957 as part of his      personal collection (not a replica).   -- Paul Dickson, author of Sputnik: The Shock of the Century (May 2007),      leading authority on the space race. SPUTNIK MANIA is based on his      book.   -- G. Scott Hubbard, former director of NASA Ames Research Center and      professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University.   -- Brig. General Carl W. Reddel, USAF (Ret.), executive director of Dwight      D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission.    Washington D.C. Forum -- Monday, October 1   The Sputnik Moment: Lessons for 21st Century Global Challenges   National Press Club   Panel Discussion: 5:00-7:00 pm   Special Screening: 7:30 pm   

The Atlantic Council of the United States (www.acus.org) and Business Roundtable (www.businessroundtable.org) are co-hosting a special forum, hosted by John J. Castellani, president of Business Roundtable, and Fred Kempe, president and CEO of Atlantic Council. Speakers include:

   -- Sergei Khrushchev, son of former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev,      lecturer on Soviet and Russian economic and political reforms.   -- Roger D. Launius, chair of Division of Space History, Smithsonian      Institution's National Air and Space Museum and former chief historian,      NASA.   -- Barbara Morgan, teacher and NASA astronaut, recently returned from      mission STS-118 in August 2007.   -- Thomas Stafford, former NASA astronaut, co-leader of Apollo-Soyuz      flight.   -- Jay Walker, see bio above.   

Special preview screening of SPUTNIK MANIA will take place at 7:30 pm. Q and A with filmmaker David Hoffman follows.

Media credentials for forum and/or screening -- Patricia Charles, 202-536-5798 or patricia@renewcomm.com. National Press Club -- 529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC.

   Additional Press Activities: Monday, October 1   1:00 - 1:45 PM -- Telephone Press Background Briefing  

Journalists unable to attend the above events or the availability listed below are invited to call 800-896-8445, and use conference ID "Sputnik" to speak with:

   -- David Hoffman   -- Jay Walker   -- Paul Dickson   -- Additional panel speakers may also be on the call.    3:00 - 5:00 PM -- Sputnik Experts Press Availability  

Speakers from Telephone Background Briefing and some members of panel available in person at the National Press Club for interviews. See address above. Media contact for activities 1:00 to 5:00 pm -- Patricia Charles, 202-536-5798 or patricia@renewcomm.com. Please only media calls.

Downloadable press materials available at www.SPUTNIKMANIA.com

First Call Analyst:

Source: Renewcomm

CONTACT: Patricia Charles of Renewcomm, +1-202-536-5798,
patricia@renewcomm.com

Web site: http://www.sputnikmania.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment