Ending days of controversy, official snubs and planned demonstrations, [Vincent A. Suozzi], with his own style of unilateral detente, diverted Soviet Ambassador Yuri Dubinin, bearing a gift of an exact replica of the Sputnik for the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Mitchel Field, to a City Hall reception in Glen Cove instead.

Joshua Stoff, curator of the Cradle of Aviation air and space museum, wrote two years ago asking the Soviets for the Sputnik replica. Recently, to the surprise of many, they agreed. Launched in 1957, Sputnik circled the Earth once each 97 minutes, and jolted Americans over the state of their own technology. It is credited as the impetus behind the U.S. space program.

1) Newsday Photo by Jerry Gay-In photo at left, Sandy Lepelstat of the East Meadow Jewish Center and others protest at Mitchel Field against alleged Soviet human rights violations. 2) Newsday Photo by George Argeroplos-Above, from left, Dubinin, Suozzi and [Edward Smits] with Sputnik replica.