May 3 — Decree on converting collective farms into state farms.
June 6 — the "Detsky Mir" ("Children's World") store opened in Moscow. In subsequent years, stores with this name appeared in all major cities of the USSR.
August 21 — the first successful launch of the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile designed by S. P. Korolev with engines by V. P. Glushko.
October 4 — the first artificial Earth satellite was launched in the USSR.
November 3 — the Sputnik 2 spacecraft was launched in the USSR with the dog Laika on board. The dog died shortly after launch from overheating.