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Supposing for the sake of argument that rather than the Soviet Union it was a Western country such as Canada, the UK, France, or similar which was the first country to put an artificial satellite into orbit by surprise a month or so ahead of the Sputnik's launch what do people think the US' reaction is likely to be? In our timeline you had the Sputnik crisis, in large part fuelled by a cynical media for their own ends, and even then it appeared to be the government getting more worked up about it than the public. Here however whilst it will still be a shock to be beaten into orbit it will be by either a friendly or at least somewhat friendly Western nation, at least until the Soviets launch Sputnik a month afterwards. Even with the implications of the rocket that carried Sputnik into orbit and it potentially pointing towards the end of the US' geographical security behind two oceans would the media still be able to try and whip up a panic if it's not quite old news but not the breakthrough it was in our timeline?