"Considering the role which the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. play in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes [...]
striving for a further expansion of cooperation between the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes" -Preamble to the Agreement to Cooperate in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space For Peaceful Purposes Full Text
striving for a further expansion of cooperation between the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes" -Preamble to the Agreement to Cooperate in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space For Peaceful Purposes Full Text
The Space Race (1955-1972) was a battle for technological and military superiority between the United States and Soviet Union that blossomed under already tense circumstances involving the two country's differing ideologies.
- To understand the Space Race, one must understand the underlying Arms Race that had already pitted the two world superpowers against each other by the mid-1950's. Advances in the sciences like Physics and Chemistry prompted the inevitable use of them for exploration; naturally the Cold War accelerated these developments. The Soviets "took to the skies" early on with their Sputnik program, which shocked and awed the world with its launch of the first artificial satellite ever placed in Earth's orbit on October 4, 1957. With their pride knocked down, the US rushed to not be outdone; the following year saw Explorer I, another satellite, put into space and the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA (You can learn more about NASA here!). 1959 saw the first space probe (Russian) hit the moon.
- Two years later, in April 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man ever to orbit earth in the capsule Vostok I. At the same time, the US had designed a lighter, more conical capsule that would take Alan Shepard into the record books as the first American astronaut in space when it launched in May 1961. Later that month, John F. Kennedy announced the very bold proclamation that by the end of the decade, the United States would put a man on the moon. NASA began this project under the code name Apollo. (Image)
- NASA grew exponentially during the 1960s amid setbacks like the January 1967 launch explosion and Soviet pressure to stay a step ahead. Finally, on July 16th, 1969, U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins left Earth on the Apollo 11 mission headed for the moon; four days later, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. The U.S. had "won" the Space Race. After the excitement of the 1969 lunar walk, national and government interest in space began to wane. In 1975, the Apollo-Soyuz mission saw astronauts and cosmonauts shake hands in space, symbolizing the gradual improvement of U.S.-Soviet relations in space.
- To understand the Space Race, one must understand the underlying Arms Race that had already pitted the two world superpowers against each other by the mid-1950's. Advances in the sciences like Physics and Chemistry prompted the inevitable use of them for exploration; naturally the Cold War accelerated these developments. The Soviets "took to the skies" early on with their Sputnik program, which shocked and awed the world with its launch of the first artificial satellite ever placed in Earth's orbit on October 4, 1957. With their pride knocked down, the US rushed to not be outdone; the following year saw Explorer I, another satellite, put into space and the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA (You can learn more about NASA here!). 1959 saw the first space probe (Russian) hit the moon.
- Two years later, in April 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man ever to orbit earth in the capsule Vostok I. At the same time, the US had designed a lighter, more conical capsule that would take Alan Shepard into the record books as the first American astronaut in space when it launched in May 1961. Later that month, John F. Kennedy announced the very bold proclamation that by the end of the decade, the United States would put a man on the moon. NASA began this project under the code name Apollo. (Image)
- NASA grew exponentially during the 1960s amid setbacks like the January 1967 launch explosion and Soviet pressure to stay a step ahead. Finally, on July 16th, 1969, U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins left Earth on the Apollo 11 mission headed for the moon; four days later, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. The U.S. had "won" the Space Race. After the excitement of the 1969 lunar walk, national and government interest in space began to wane. In 1975, the Apollo-Soyuz mission saw astronauts and cosmonauts shake hands in space, symbolizing the gradual improvement of U.S.-Soviet relations in space.
So why do we care about the Space Race? What impact did it have during the time period and beyond? For one, satellites would not be as prevalent without the race to space. Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) tell us where in the world we are. Our favorite broadcasts are brought to us by those metal objects in the sky. That funny monitor that makes beeps and tracks your heartbeat in hospitals? It was designed for astronauts. The Space Race was a playground for technological breakthroughs, in addition to being yet another battlefield for the two world's superpowers to duke their strength out. Arguably the U.S. "won" the Space Race by landing on the moon first amid four failed Soviet attempts; almost as equally arguable are the effects the race had. As history has shown us, after that episode, space began to be shared a bit more, if only for research purposes. Only 6 years after the lunar landing, Americans and Russians were working together in space. Maybe the Space Race, in trying to create a gap in technological prowess, brought the two bitter nations just a little bit closer... -Adam Coscia