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The Sputnik Moment: Event Highlights Past and Future Challenges to US Competitiveness

Marking the 50th anniversary of the moment that shocked the country into an unparalleled investment in science, technology and education, Business Roundtable and The Atlantic Council of the United States co-hosted "The Sputnik Moment: Lessons for 21st Century Global Challenges." The event included a panel of distinguished leaders in business, science and politics who debated lessons learned from the "Sputnik moment," its implications on U.S. and foreign policy and future shocks to U.S. competitiveness. The event also featured a screening of Sputnik Mania, a new film that tells the gripping story of America's growing fear and panic following the launch of Sputnik. Veteran documentary filmmaker, David Hoffman, held a Q&A session following the screening. To read the press release, click here.

Photo 1: John J. Castellani, president of Business Roundtable, delivered opening remarks highlighting the unparalleled investment in science, technology, education and math triggered by the launch of Sputnik, and the continued need for excellence in these fields to maintain U.S. competitiveness.

Photo 2: The panel discussion, moderated by Frederick Kempe, president and CEO of The Atlantic Council (third from right), included distinguished historians, astronauts, and businessmen (from left to right): Sergei N. Khrushchev, son of former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and lecturer on Soviet and Russian economic and political reforms; Thomas P. Stafford, former NASA astronaut and co-leader of the Apollo-Soyuz flight; Roger D. Launius, chair of the Division of Space History at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and former chief historian of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Barbara Morgan, NASA's first educator astronaut and mission specialist for Endeavour's STS-118 space flight in August 2007; and Jay Walker, chairman of Walker Digital, LLC, founder of Priceline.com, executive producer of Sputnik Mania and owner of a real Sputnik.

Photo 3: David Hoffman, filmmaker of the new documentary Sputnik Mania, held a Q&A session immediately following a premiere screening of the soon-to-be-released film.