SPACE RACE

SPACE RACE

From the mid-1950s to 1975 both the USA and USSR spent millions in
attempts to outdo each other in space exploration technology and milestones
Creating rocket
Putting satellites into orbit

Training astronauts
Launching manned space missions

GERMAN INVOLVEMENT
The early stages of rocket technology was not created by Russian or American
operations.
Rather, it was the Nazis who, in 1942, launched the first rocket to achieve suborbital space.
Hitler then organised to have explosives in the tip and used them as bombs (known as
the V-2).

These bombs were used in strikes on civilian targets in England and in late 1944 killed
around 2750 civilians.
It only took the rockets 3 minutes to hit their target after launch as they were travelling
at the speed of sound.

At the end of the war, the US captured the Nazis responsible for creating this
technology and had them shipped to US soil. They played a vital role in
creating and testing American rockets and missiles.

SPUTNIK
October 1957 Russians launch first man made
satellite into orbit.
Circled the earth once every 90 minutes at a
speed of 28,000km/h.
Shattered American perceptions of the inferiority
of Russian technology.
The Sputnik program implied threats to US
national security since the program could be
adapted to military applications.

SPUTNIK II
November 1957 Russians launch Sputnik 2
with a passenger, Laika (a stray dog).
Unfortunately, technology had not advanced far
enough to guarantee a return trip and Laikas
trip into space was essentially a suicide mission.
The USSR sent around 36 dogs into space
before their technology advanced enough to
send up and guarantee the return of humans.

USA RESPONSE

January, 1958 NASA launches first US man

made satellite, Explorer I.
December 1958 NASA launches first
communications satellite, SCORE.
SCORE beamed down a message from President
Dwight Eisenhower.

Explorer I

MEN ON THE MOON

December 1968 Apollo VIII
became the first mission to
successfully orbit and return from
the moon.
July 1969 Neil Armstrong &
Edwin Buzz Aldrin land safely on
the moon surface in Apollo XI