Russia on Thursday celebrated the 50th anniversary of the launch of the world’s first satellite, Sputnik, which marked the dawn of the Space Age and sparked the race to land a man on the moon.

Ceremonies were held at the Russia’s cosmonaut training center, Star City, outside of Moscow, to recall the events leading up to the Oct. 4, 1957, launch of the 184-pound metal ball with the spiked antennas that beeped as it circled the Earth for 22 days.

Military officials held a small ceremony to lay flowers at the grave of the father of the Soviet space program, Sergei Korolyov, who was buried with honors at the foot of the Kremlin wall.

Engineers were to gather at the Academy of Sciences later in the day for more commemorations.

The success of Soviet engineers in launching Sputnik stunned the world, and was followed just four years later by another historic achievement — the launch of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.

Sputnik galvanized the United States to pour money into space research and technology with the goal of landing a man on the moon — an event that occurred in 1969.

“Of course speaking just for us specialists (the launch) sparked an unexpected furor around the world. No one expected this, even including our engineers,” said Viktor Frusmon, a co-worker of Korolyov’s, in a televised comments Thursday.

The Perth Mint has issued a revolutionary commemorative coin (99.9% Pure Silver) to honor the event. The coin celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Sputnik, which was launched by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957. The first man-made satellite to orbit the world, Sputnik’s success triggered the Space Race and efforts to realise the ultimate dream of landing men on the Moon.

The coin’s coloured reverse depicts the famous satellite in orbit. Thanks to the unique construction of the ‘orbital’ coin, Sputnik literally revolves around an image of the Earth. The design also includes the border inscription SPUTNIK 50TH ANNIVERSARY 1957-2007.

Issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of the Cook Islands, the coin’s obverse depicts the Raphael Maklouf effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination surrounding another coloured image of the Earth.

The Perth Mint will release no more than 25,000 ‘orbital’ coins.