Space Race

Info

• October 4, 1857
• Russia launched Sputnik (traveler) in an R-7 missile
• American surprise
• missile could bring down a nuclear strike
• made getting info on Russia the number one priority

Historical Significance

• first man made object to ever go into orbit
• brought a new age of exploration to the world

Later

• 1958- Explorer 1 was launched by the US
• made by the US Army
• later that year, President Eisenhower created NASA

Even Later

• 1959- Luna 2 launched by Soviet Union
• first space probe to land on the moon
• April 1961 Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first person to orbit eart
• traveled in the Vostok 1

Appolo

• involved around 34,000 NASA employees
• setback- 3 people died in a launch simulation
• December 1968- Applol 8 was set out
• July 16, 1969- Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins went to the moon
• Armstrong- "That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind."

Last

• 1975- US and Russia joined for a space mission
• 3 US astronauts went to a Soviet Soyuz vehicle
• two commanders shook hands and repaired US Soviet relations

Source

• http://www.history.com/topics/space-race

video

• https://youtu.be/T4jQgg8ZRLE
• interviews with those involved in the race and some history