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The Cold War
The Cold war was a political, ideological and economic struggle between the US and the USSR. It began in 1947 and lasted until the disbandment of the USSR in 1991. The conflict spanned from isolated events such as propaganda in posters, movies, sports, etc to large scale events such as the space race and the Cuban missile crisis. As a result of this tension, large amounts of government money and resources was allocated to the space programs in order to be the first country to conquer space. -
October 4, 1957 - Sputnik Launched:
On October 4, 1957 Russia launched “Sputnik”, the first manmade object to enter an orbit in Earth's atmosphere. Sputnik was a satellite that was designed to collect data from the upper levels of the atmosphere. It burned up upon reentry in January of 1958. Sputnik being in orbit launched the space race between the US and the Soviet Union, which was a major factor of the Cold war. -
January 31, 1958- "Explorer" launched
On January 31, 1958 the United States launched “Explorer”, the first US satellite in space. It carried equipment that detected radiation environment in Earth's atmosphere. The satellite was the US’s attempt to catch up to the Soviet Union in the Space Race. It burned up upon reentry on March 31. -
July 1, 1960- Project Apollo was created
Project Apollo was the second manned mission by NASA. It was begun in July of 1960. It’s goals were:
Achieving superiority for the United States in space
Carrying out a program of scientific exploration of the Moon.
Developing man's capability to work in the lunar environment.
Landings Americans on the moon and returning them safely. -
May 25, 1961- JFk announces Moon landing
On May 25, 1961,JFK announced in front of congress that they would send an American safely to the moon and back. Kennedy felt great pressure to “catch up and overtake” the Soviet Union in the space race. -
April 12 1961-The first man in space
On April 12, 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. He orbited the Earth once during a 108 minute flight in his spacecraft. Yuri reentered the atmosphere and landed in a farm. -
December 7, 1961- Project Gemini was created
Project Gemini was created on December 7th 1961. NASA’s second human spaceflight project. it ‘s objectives were to
Demonstrate Extra-vehicular activity (space walks)
To perfect techniques of atmospheric reentry and touchdown at a predetermined location
To test human and equipment endurance in space over extended periods of time
The Gemini Project helped the US to overtake the Soviet Union in the Space race. The program was a lead up to the Apollo missions which put the first men on the moon. -
March 18, 1965 - Alexei Leonov performs the first spacewalk
On March 18 1965 Alexei Leonov was a Soviet Union astronaut and the first man to perform a spacewalk. He spent 12 minutes in space outside of his Voskhod Spacecraft. -
Febuary 3, 1966- Luna 9 lands on the moon
Luna 9 was a unmanned spacecraft part of the Soviet Union's Luna programme. On the 3rd of February 1966 it was first spacecraft to achieve a soft-landing on the moon. After the spacecraft had landed, it began a photographic survey of the immediate environment and the moons geography. -
January 30, 1969- The Apollo 11 team is picked
The apollo 11 crew were first announced to the public on January 30 1969, however Deke Slayton the man who picked the crews for the Apollo missions had decided the crew in December of 1968. The Apollo 11 crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, commander. Buzz Aldrin, Lunar Module pilot and Michael Collins,Command module pilot
