Space race
Overview
The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to become the first nation to explore outer space, but more importantly put a human on the moon. The intent behind the so called “race” was to demonstrate each nation’s technological advancements and capabilities. Large advances in rockets and missiles for both nations came out of the Space Race Era as a side effect from the new technology. The Race officially began on October 4, 1957 when the Soviets successfully launched the Sputnik 1 satellite. This was followed by an unsuccessful launch of a U.S. satellite on December 6, 1957, but successfully launched the Explorer 1 satellite on January 31, 1958. The Soviets also became the first to photograph the moon with the Luna satellites. The U.S. surpassed the Soviets in the Space Race when they landed Apollo 11 on the moon on July 20, 1969. The Americans successfully landed on the moon five more times, each unchallenged by a failing Russian space program.
IMPACT
In the long run, the Space Race seemed to have an overall positive effect on the Americans and a negative and burdensome effect on the Soviets. Both the Soviets and Americans invested a lot of time and money into the Race when some people thought it should be used elsewhere, such as towards the American war effort in the Vietnam War. When the Soviets became the first into space with the Sputnik 1 satellites, it was a major blow to American prestige. This led to an attack on the American education system, especially in the subjects of math and science. However, when the U.S. landed Apollo 11 successfully on the moon, it provided a large stimulus in favor of the U.S. in the Cold War but also at home for the citizens of the U.S. living through the Vietnam War Era. The Soviets left the Space Race seemingly empty handed despite being the first nation into space. They realized the true race was to land on the moon, which their space program was unable to do because of different types of failures.
The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to become the first nation to explore outer space, but more importantly put a human on the moon. The intent behind the so called “race” was to demonstrate each nation’s technological advancements and capabilities. Large advances in rockets and missiles for both nations came out of the Space Race Era as a side effect from the new technology. The Race officially began on October 4, 1957 when the Soviets successfully launched the Sputnik 1 satellite. This was followed by an unsuccessful launch of a U.S. satellite on December 6, 1957, but successfully launched the Explorer 1 satellite on January 31, 1958. The Soviets also became the first to photograph the moon with the Luna satellites. The U.S. surpassed the Soviets in the Space Race when they landed Apollo 11 on the moon on July 20, 1969. The Americans successfully landed on the moon five more times, each unchallenged by a failing Russian space program.
IMPACT
In the long run, the Space Race seemed to have an overall positive effect on the Americans and a negative and burdensome effect on the Soviets. Both the Soviets and Americans invested a lot of time and money into the Race when some people thought it should be used elsewhere, such as towards the American war effort in the Vietnam War. When the Soviets became the first into space with the Sputnik 1 satellites, it was a major blow to American prestige. This led to an attack on the American education system, especially in the subjects of math and science. However, when the U.S. landed Apollo 11 successfully on the moon, it provided a large stimulus in favor of the U.S. in the Cold War but also at home for the citizens of the U.S. living through the Vietnam War Era. The Soviets left the Space Race seemingly empty handed despite being the first nation into space. They realized the true race was to land on the moon, which their space program was unable to do because of different types of failures.