Society+and+Space+p8

=__The Space Race and Society.__= BY: Steven.

The Space Race was the competition between the Soviet Union and the United States of America to explore space. The Space Race began on Friday, October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union launched the satellite //Sputnik// into the earth's orbit. The Space Race was a major advancement in science, engineering, and national defense.

// Sputnik// was an unmanned satellite built by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union eventually launched another 9 //Sputniks// into earths orbit. //Sputnik 1// was basically a ball, weighing 184 pounds and it was 23 inches in diameter. During dawn and dusk, it was even possible to see //Sputnik// in space. //Sputnik// was the first object to orbit the earth. //Sputnik 2,// which was much larger than the first, was launched a month after the first, but this time a dog named Laika was on board. She had food and oxygen tanks to help survive, but died after more than a week in space. The Soviet Union did this to help give them an idea how long a human could live in space. Russia also eventually had the first human, Yuri Gagarin, to orbit earth in 1960.

The United States had made the first plans to send a satellite into space was made on July 29, 1955, and was stunned that the Russians got the first satellite in space, and immediately responded. The satellite //Explorer 1// was launched on January 31, 1958. On July 29th, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established and started operating on October 1, 1958. Though for a time it seemed as if the Russians had an edge, the United States ended up with the most dramatic moment of the Space Race. Fulfilling former President John Kennedy's hope from several years ago, //Apollo 11//, carrying 3 United States astronauts, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Micahel Collins, made history as it carried the first humans to the moon. Armstrong was the first to touch the surface, and uttered one of the most famous phrases when he said "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." The astronauts safely returned home as heroes. By getting to the moon first, many felt the United States had won the Space Race. However, the Space Race died down, and in 1975, Americas last //Apollo// and the Soviet Union's //Soyuz// met in space, allowing each nations astronauts to meet each other and explore their ships. This marked the end of the race.

When the news first reached the United States of //Sputnik// successfully orbiting earth, there were many different reactions. With the Soviet Union and the United States already engaged in the Cold War, many civilians felt panic, fearing the Soviet Union had better technology and may attack. Yet others around the world were excited about the idea of space exploration, as no one knew anything much about space. With Hollywood having already released movies of aliens from space coming to earth before the Space Race, like The War of the Worlds, people had grew scared and curious about outer space, and it seemed the satellite launchings couldn't have come at a better time to ignite the world's curiosity.

Around the world, there was much joy and excitement when Neil Armstrong first got on the moon, there was a more positive reaction to the news than that of Sputnik. Many have considered it the greatest feat of all time. When those astronauts returned to earth, they were greeted as heroes, and cities threw parades in their honor.

The Space Race also played a role in education. In his 1958 State of the Union speach, Eisenhower called for an increase in the National Science Foundation and new efforts by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to improve research and education in sciences. This opened many new jobs for people, and helped create a better education system as we gained more knowledge of space through satellite and shuttle launchings.

The Space Race has played a very important role in the world over the last half century. Through space exploration, we have gained knowledge of the world around us and exactly what space is, helping us rewrite our science books. The Space Race got as far as the moon landings, but it helped open the door to more successful launches by the Galileo, Mariner, and Cassini shuttle launches to study the other planets and their moons. It helped create jobs throughout society through NASA, and above all, has sparked a world-wide interest of the outside world.

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