When the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Milley, said China’s test of a hypersonic weapon was close to a Sputnik moment, we can see how easily the Chinese can tweak their global competitors’ insecurity. No need to soil your trousers, America; we’re still the undisputed military heavyweight. But China showed how fragile our national ego is — ANY challenge now becomes a Sputnik moment, followed by sound and fury signifying nothing. We’re afraid of China.

Eisenhower welcomed the Soviet satellite launch because he was more interested in launching the Corona surveillance satellites to locate Soviet missiles, and Sputnik established the freedom to use outer space. Time to unleash American industry to create an “interstate highway” in space.