An original Sputnik is up for sale on eBay — the Buy It Now price is $29,500.
This is an original Sputnik from the '50s space program, named "model PS-1". Literally lost in space for the past 30 years, we discovered it hanging 20 feet above the ground in a science institute near Kiev. Nearly identical to the Sputnik that orbited the Earth. Constructed of a highly-polished metal alloy; 80 cm (31") in diameter and equipped with two, 3 m (10 ft) and two 1.5 m (5 ft) whip antennae. Weighing in at 30 kg (66 lbs.) Historians may note that this is lighter than the flown-craft, which weighed 83 kg (176 lbs.). This is because the once-top-secret radio transmitters and batteries were removed and destroyed, during the security conscious 1960s.
(Thanks, Phil!)
