The Space Race TimelineOctober 4, 1957 - Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, Earths first artificial Satellite.
November 3, 1957- Sputnik 2 is launched with a dog named Laika. January 31, 1958 - Explorer 1 is launched becoming the first american satellite March 5, 1958 - Explorer 2 is launched but doesn't reach orbit. March 17, 1958 - Vanguard 1 satellite is launched. May 15, 1958 - Sputnik 3 is launched. October 11, 1958 - Pioneer 1 (American Satellite) is launched. January 2 1959- Luna 1 (Soviet Union Satellite) is launched, first man made object to orbit the sun. November 8, 1960- John F. Kennedy is Elected as the 35th president of the United States. April 12, 1961 - Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth once and becomes the first man in space. May 5, 1961 - Alan B. Shepard becomes the first American in space. May 25, 1961 - Addresses Congress and challenges nation to go to the moon before the end of the decade. July 20, 1969 - Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become first ones to walk on the moon. |
Impact
The space race between the Soviet Union and the United States impacted many lives. When the Soviet Union Designed Sputnik 1, they did it to ensure people around the world could notice it. The Satellite itself was 23 inches wide with 4 antennas trailing behind it, but it was polished to reflect light even from 175 miles in the sky it could be seen with the naked eye. The satellite also sent a rhythmic "beep" sound that could be picked up by operators around the world. American's were astonished by the object in the sky, fear soon fallowed. The Americans had no idea what the Satellite was meant to do. The political leaders were especially frightened, if the soviet Union had rockets powerful enough to send Satellites to space then they must have rockets powerful enough to carry Atomic bombs. This ideology made the entire nation involved and marked the beginning of the space race. As the timeline shows, Sputnik 1 was the first satellite in space and Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, both of these achievements made by the Soviet Union was fallowed by the first American Satellite, Explorer 1 and the first American to go to space, Alan B. Shepard. the space race was won by america after Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the moon. Afterwards, children all around America realized that becoming an astronaut can be possible. Money was poured into the Space program, America ended up spending 25 billion dollars in the late 1960's, Technology was improved greatly, innovations like the Microchip were invented and are still being used today.