History of the Space Race

By adhyani

  • Sputnik Launched

    Sputnik Launched
    The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth. It sent radio signals back to Earth and orbited the planet every 96 minutes. This technology was a success, and caused fear in the United States. This is how the "Space Race" begun.

  • NASA is Founded

    NASA is Founded
    In response to Sputnik being a success and the growing Cold War tensions, the U.S. government created NASA. NASA replaced the national Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and its sole goal was the develop America's space exploration technology/capacity.

  • First Human in Space

    First Human in Space
    Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space via the spaceship Vostok 1. He completed a full orbit of Earth in 108 minutes. This was a monumental achievement for the USSR, and reinforced how ahead the Soviets were in space exploration compared to the United States.

  • First American to Orbit the Earth

    First American to Orbit the Earth
    John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth via the spaceship Friendship. This event restored American confidence in competing with the Soviet Union; however, the Soviet Union was still ahead in space milestones.

  • Apollo 11 Moon Landing

    Apollo 11 Moon Landing
    This was the ultimate win for the United States as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the Moon. This was President John F. Kennedy's goal, and remains as one of the most renowned moments in human history.

  • Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

    Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
    American and Soviet spacecraft successfully docked in orbit as a sign of peace. Astronauts Thomas Stafford and Alexei Leonov shook hands in space, making this the first international human spaceflight mission. This signified the end of the Space Race and the beginning of U.S.-Soviet cooperation in space.