Fifty years ago, at the height of the Cold War, the USSR launched Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit the earth, bringing America to its knees in awe — then fear. Initially thrilling as a marvel of science, Sputnik was soon viewed by Americans as a weapon of mass destruction. SPUTNIK MANIA explores the rapid series of events that delivered the world’s super-powers to the brink of nuclear war, and the story of two ex-generals whose private agreement prevented it.