The Space Race
Main Events, Importance, How it Paralleled to the Cold War
What was it?
The Space Race was the competition between the Americans and the Soviets to explore outer space. It was important because it marked new history, it showed United States' and the Soviet Union's competitive side, and it impacted the cold war hugely. The Soviets and the Americans pushed new technologies trying desperately to be the first to put a man in space, in orbit with the Earth, and even on the moon.
The First Man in Space:
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin (a Soviet) became the first human in space, orbiting the Earth once. He was only 27 years old when the space shuttle, Vostok 1, was launched in Kazakhstan.
America's First Man in Space:
On May 4, 1961 Alan B. Shepard Jr. became the first American to be in outer space. Before his profession of being an astronaut, Shepard was a navy lieutenant commander. His capsule was named Freedom 7, 7 for the seven original astronauts.
The Moon Landing:
On July 16, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, were blasted off into space. And, after three days of space travel, they began to approach the moon. Once they got close enough, both Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin moved into the lunar module area called the Eagle. Neil was the first man to step on the moon, and with that step he said “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” On July 20, 1969, the United States had become the first nation to put a man on the moon, ending the space race and beating the Soviets.
How the Space Race Paralleled to the Cold War
Similarities
The Cold War and the Space Race both showed strong tensions between the Soviets and the Americans, they both consisted of indirect wars, and they both ended with the United States defeating the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, both the United States’ and the Soviet Union’s governments began to build up their weapons and technologies. The technologies were used for nuclear power and to explore outer space. Although Neither side broke into battle, they still competed to be on the top. However, the Americans seemed to be the ones who pulled out the wins in both circumstances.