the Space race
InformationSpace exploration turned into a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. Each nation sought to prove its technology, military firepower, and political-economic system. Various projects were created, countless time and effort were consumed, and an increasing amount of money was utilized. Russia began by launching Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite and first man-made object to be placed into earth's orbit. The U.S. countered by launching Explorer 1. As a result, Dwight Eisenhower signed a public order, creating NASA. Russia then launched Luna 2, the first space probe to hit the moon. In addition, Gagarin's launch allowed the Soviets to pull ahead. Next, JFK publicly acclaimed that the U.S. would land a man on the moon before the end of the decade as to never give up. With this in mind, the United States launched Apollo 8 in December 1968, the first manned space mission to orbit the moon. This persistent race continues below with famous astronauts and achievements.
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Astronauts and Achievments |
Astronauts were dominant idles. They devoted their lives to exploring the unknown and generating curiosity. Russia and the U.S. were filled with highly skilled astronauts. For example, the Russians sent Yuri Gagarin in Vostok 1; he became the first man to orbit the earth. The United States sent Alan shepard, making him the first American in space. Both sides were attaining goals some thought were impossible. During Project Mercury, the U.S. tested a craft with chimpanzees after NASA engineers designed a smaller lighter, cone-shaped capsule. Perhaps the greatest achievement to be documented, Apollo 11 sent 3 passionate astronauts to the moon. Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins set off to attempt a landing on the moon. These brave men successfully landed on the moon on July 16, 1969 as Armstrong became the first man to walk the moon's surface. His famous words were "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
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Analysis |
The Space Race affected the world immensely. Lives were changed, minds were captivated, and mankind continued to progress. The United States "won" the space race by landing on the moon. This long process came to an end, but exploration never did. The american public's attention was infatuated by the race. Throughout this period, America's citizens tuned into any news they could to gain any knowledge possible regarding the unknown. Furthermore, the national media heavily covered the various developments by the Soviet and U.S. space programs. Astronauts were seen as the ultimate American heroes and earth bound people seemed to live their lives through them. This feeling gave people hope to discover things unseen, unthinkable and unimaginable. In contrast, the Soviets were seen as the ultimate villains because of their relentless effort to surpass America and prove the power of the communist system. The Space Race will always be remembered as the time man entered space.
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