>there was some question that orbiting spacecraft would violate airspace Almost. He didn't want to avoid launching satellites, he wanted to avoid launching _mi

>there was some question that orbiting spacecraft would violate airspace Almost. He didn't want to avoid launching satellites, he wanted to avoid launching _military_ satellites, which is why they had to use Vanguard (which was a civilian rocket). Once Sputnik launched on an R-7, there was no more need.