The Cold War goes to Space!
The U.S. and the Soviet Union were in a great battle to win the Cold War and gain an advantage over the other. In the late 1850’s they began competing to gain an advantage in outer space. Rockets were sent to space and then the Soviets successfully launched Sputnik, a satellite, into space.
Why the race? There are numerous possibilities. Maybe people could live on the moon and it could become a new territory. Maybe nuclear weapons could be fired from space. The ability to put satellites into space might help countries spy on other countries. The greatest reason both countries wanted to win the space race was fear. Both were afraid of what might happen if the other country gained control of space.
Space Race Timeline
PBS Space Race Site
The U.S. and the Soviet Union were in a great battle to win the Cold War and gain an advantage over the other. In the late 1850’s they began competing to gain an advantage in outer space. Rockets were sent to space and then the Soviets successfully launched Sputnik, a satellite, into space.
Why the race? There are numerous possibilities. Maybe people could live on the moon and it could become a new territory. Maybe nuclear weapons could be fired from space. The ability to put satellites into space might help countries spy on other countries. The greatest reason both countries wanted to win the space race was fear. Both were afraid of what might happen if the other country gained control of space.
Space Race Timeline
PBS Space Race Site
What was gained?
Lets take a look at what came from the space race. Here are a couple of the biggest benefits of the space race.
Photo: Sputnik launch
Kennedy was a big supporter of the space exploration. During his presidency, the Soviet Union successfully launched satellites (like the Sputnik) and put a man in space in the 1950s. Kennedy and other Americans did not want the Soviet Union to get ahead of America in the space race. They feared the Soviet Union would use their space technology to spy on the U.S. or to build more powerful nuclear weapons to attack America.
The United States first satellite went into space in 1958. America soon organized NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to promote the U.S. space projects. With America’s space exploration, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth (1962). With Soviet steadily ahead in the space race, Kennedy challenged the U.S. space program to put a man on the moon by the end of 1969. In 1969, U.S. Astronaut Neil Armstrong flew on the Apollo 11. He became the first human being to walk on the moon.
Afterwards, many satellites, or machines that orbit the Earth, have provided many communication signals and pictures to Americans. Satellites enable people to watch live events on the other side of the world, hear accurate weather forecasts on their local news network, and get instant traveling directions as they drive in their cars.
Space Race Video
Explore Items that we use today and how they are related to NASA or Space.
Lets take a look at what came from the space race. Here are a couple of the biggest benefits of the space race.
- Satellites--There are now thousands of satellites in space and most people don't give them a second thought. It is those satellites that allow so much of modern technology to work including cell phones, GPS and a host of other technology.
- Weapons and defense technology--The space program has greatly strengthened our ability to defend our country and also cause troubles for our enemies.
Photo: Sputnik launch
Kennedy was a big supporter of the space exploration. During his presidency, the Soviet Union successfully launched satellites (like the Sputnik) and put a man in space in the 1950s. Kennedy and other Americans did not want the Soviet Union to get ahead of America in the space race. They feared the Soviet Union would use their space technology to spy on the U.S. or to build more powerful nuclear weapons to attack America.
The United States first satellite went into space in 1958. America soon organized NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to promote the U.S. space projects. With America’s space exploration, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth (1962). With Soviet steadily ahead in the space race, Kennedy challenged the U.S. space program to put a man on the moon by the end of 1969. In 1969, U.S. Astronaut Neil Armstrong flew on the Apollo 11. He became the first human being to walk on the moon.
Afterwards, many satellites, or machines that orbit the Earth, have provided many communication signals and pictures to Americans. Satellites enable people to watch live events on the other side of the world, hear accurate weather forecasts on their local news network, and get instant traveling directions as they drive in their cars.
Space Race Video
Explore Items that we use today and how they are related to NASA or Space.