Matt Weigle

​Space Race
The space race began in the late 1950's. It was between two of the strongest power houses during the time period, the United States and the Soviet Union. It gave the two countries a chance to prove their superiority in technology, military firepower, and even their political economic system. There were many worries during the space race, USSR demonstrated that they had the power to launch a nuclear warhead into U.S. air-space. In 1958 President Dwight Eisenhower signed public order creating NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), federal agency dedicated to space exploration. Eisenhower also created two national security oriented space programs that operated with NASA. One was dedicated to exploiting the military potential of space and the second used orbiting satellites to gather information on the Soviet Union and its allies. Later, President John F Kennedy boldly announced that U.S. would land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. By the end of 1962 Apollo project started by U.S. (lunar landing project).

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USSR ACHIEVEMENTS 

• October 4 1957 Russia launched world’s first artificial satellite and was the first man-made object to be placed into Earth’s orbit. Launched using R-7 missile. The launch came as a surprise to U.S. and even the rest of the world. 
• April 1961 Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to orbit Earth. Soviets pulled ahead with this launch. ​​

US ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1958 U.S. launched its own satellite. Explorer 1
• 1959 Luna 2 was the first probe to land on the moon.
• May 5th astronaut Alan Shepard became the first american in space (though not in orbit). ​
• February 1962 John Glenn became first american to orbit the Earth.
  
• December 1968 launch of Apollo 8 (first manned space mission to orbit the moon.)
  
• July 20th 1968 Neil Armstrong first man to walk on the moon. U.S. astronaut.