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The Space Race
Between the Soviet Union and the US, there was the Space race. This was a race to see how many Sattelites could be shot into space. This was done from 1957 to 1969. Both wanted to win this race to prove that their form of government was better. -
Sputnik 1
The Soviet Union launched the first Sattelite into space. This Sattelite is called the Sputnik 1. It was launched in 1957. This was to get a good feel of space to get a better path to victory in the race. -
Americas two attempts
The US was behind. By the end of 1957, they have attempted to shoot out two Sattelites into space, but both have failed to reach space because of missed or failed programing. -
bad score
The US and the SovietUnion looked at their score. Soviet Union was in the lead with 2 Sattelites in space, while the US was behind with 0 Sattelites in space, because the Soviet Union actually got them into space. -
animals in space
The Soviet Union made a third Sattelite. They named this one the Sputnik 2. At the beggining of 1958, they decided to do an experiment. They wanted to send an animal into space. So the first animal in space was a dog. This dog was named Laika. -
America's first success
The US finally made a successful launch at the end of January 1958. They had sent the Explorer 1 into space with a successful launch, which brings them closer to the lead in the race. -
1958 score
The score so far: US, 1 Soviet Union, 2. By the end of January 1958, the Soviet Union is in the lead with 2 Sattelites, while US has 1 Sattelite in space. -
Explorer 2
The US decides to get ahead in the game. In early 1958, they launch the Explorer 2, named after the explorer 1. Unfortunately, this sequal Sattelite was launched to space, but failed to reach orbit. -
Vanguard 1
In 1958, the US made up for the failed event with the explorer 2 by launching another Sattelite. On March 17, the US launched Vanguard 1 into space. This Sattelite caught orbit and continued to function for 3 years. -
New goals
By late 1959, the two countries had a new goal: get a man to the moon. To do this, they have to built a rocket, launch into space, and land on the moon. This would be the final task to win the race. -
Luma 3
After the new goal to get to the moon was set, the Soviet Union sent out another Sattelite. This Sattelite was called Luma 3, and it was used to take pictures of the far side of the moon, which gives a better chance of making a bullseye landing. -
The first person in space
A man named Yuri Gagarin went into space in April 1961. Yuri became the first man in space and gave the Soviet Union a great lead in the race for the moon. -
close call score
As all, the Soviet Union and the US were back in a score, Soviet Union with three Sattelites in space along with an animal and a man in space, while the US has two Sattelites in space. -
Kennedy's bold announcment
At this time, Kennedy wanted to get into the lead and win the race. He announced that he believes that the nation should commit itself to getting a man on the moon and back on Earth safely within the decade. -
Space laboratory
The US came up with a plan. This plan was to build a Space Laboratory up in space. This lab will train Astronauts for better space function. -
Space lab meaning
The US wasn't actually using the lab for training. Sure, it was a lab in space, and sure, it allowed astronauts to be in zero gravity, but it was also used for something else. The Soviet Union got Sattelites up in space really fast, and the US wanted to know how they did that, so they built a " Space Lab" so the US could get a person-to-device view. -
The final score
By this time, the race was over. The Soviet Union had shot three Sattelites, a dog, and a person all into space. The US, however, shot one Sattelite and two people into space. By these points, the Soviet Union would have won the space race, but the goal was to get a man on the moon. The US was the one who got not one, but two people on the moon, making them the victors of the space race. -
The end of the race
For most people, the race was over when the US launched a rocket into space. This rocket held Niel Armstrong and Edwin " Buzz" Aldrin, two very important space men. They were the first Astronauts to set foot on the moon. -
Luna 15
The day after Armstrong and Buzz landed on the moon, the Soviet Union launched the Luna 15. It was unmanned whille decended into the Lunar surface. The space craft was suppost to land on the moon, collect moon rocks and soil, then return to Earth. At last minute, the Soviet Union changed it's course. It headed for the American landing site, but then it crashed.
