1958 Atlantic Union Oil Company : Conquest of the Air

The Conquest of the Air Atlantic Picture Pageant series was issued in 1958 by the Atlantic Union Oil Company of Australia. The illustrated 64-card collection showcases the history of aviation from a flying machine design by Leonardo da Vinci to the launch of Sputnik 1. Each card measures approximately 2 x 2.75 inches (51 x 76 mm). An Atlantic Picture Pageant album was distributed at participating Atlantic petrol service stations. The Conquest of the Air album is held in the collection of the National Library of Australia.

The image of the Soviet Sputnik 1 satellite is not accurate, likely due to the limited information available at the time of publication. Sputnik (Спутник) is Russian for "companion" or "satellite." The first man-made object to orbit the Earth was launched on October 4, 1957, from Baikonur Cosmodrome in modern-day Kazakhstan. The event was a catalyst for the creation of NASA and the beginning of the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.

The satellite transmitted audio pulses at 20.005 and 40.002 MHz. Air pressure and temperature data was encoded into the radio signal duration and pauses. Sputnik 1 reentered the atmosphere on January 4, 1958, after completing about 1,440 orbits around the Earth.