What Was The Space Race?

Two years after World War II ended, a period of tension between the Soviet Union and the United States began in which each country fought for global superiority. This period starting in 1947 and ending in 1991 was known as the Cold War. A major front of the Cold War was space, as it proved to the world which country had stronger scientific, economic, and political systems.

In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite and man-made object to enter space. This took Americans by surprise and the American press feared that this meant the Soviet Union had an advantage in the Cold War. They were especially worried that the U.S. military had fallen behind in creating new technologies. The launch of Sputnik marked the beginning of the Space Race.

That same year, the Soviet Union sent a dog named Laika into space. Laika only survived five hours before dying of panic and overheating. Despite this, the Soviet Union became the first nation to send a living organism into space. In an attempt to catch up, the United States scrambled to create a satellite to send into space. However, the launch was a failure as the rocket exploded on the launch pad. This was a humiliating loss for the U.S., with the press calling it the “Flopnik.” The following year, the States successfully launched its first satellite into space. Continuing the advancements, America made history when it created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Since its creation, NASA has explored the unknown in Space and created advancements to benefit humanity. The Soviet Union was leading this race. The U.S. was in desperate need of a win to pull themselves ahead of the Soviet Union. Everything the U.S. could think of the Soviet Union had already done. The only hope was to land a man on the moon. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared that the United States would send a man to the moon, and return him safely before the end of the decade. This mission was called the Apollo Program. After the assassination of JFK, Apollo was pronounced a memorial to the fallen president, continuing the Space Race.

While the Soviet Union seemed to be winning this race, they still could not manage to send a man to the moon. On July 20th, 1969, the United States kept its promise to JFK by sending a man to the moon just five months before the deadline. That day marks history as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first to walk on the moon. The winner of the space race is controversial, as there was no clear measure of success. However, most historians agree that by accomplishing something this big, the Americans had effectively ended the Space Race against the Soviets. Armstrong’s famous words “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” serve as a reminder that the accomplishments made during the Space Race were not only a victory for the country that had achieved them, but for mankind as a whole.

Works Cited:

Google image https://bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/space-station-moon-landing-apollo-15-james-irwin-39896-780x518.jpeg. (n.d.). https://images.app.goo.gl/JVbd72yWqyJHYVLV6

Jfklibrary, www.jfklibrary.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/Student%20Handout.pdf. Accessed 07 Nov. 2024.

“Space Race Timeline.” Royal Museums Greenwich, www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/space-race-timeline. Accessed 07 Nov. 2024.

“The Space Race: Timeline, Cold War & Facts.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/topics/cold-war/space-race. Accessed 07 Nov. 2024.