The Space Race

What was the space race?

The space race was a race between the United States and the Soviet Union to explore outer space.

Many Americans felt that it would be dangerous to lose this race.

They realized that if the Soviets could work or travel in space, they could easily spy on or attack the United States.

Sputnik

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched a satellite named Sputnik into outer space.

It was sent into space to circle Earth.

US Catches Up

The United States had clearly fallen behind in the space race.

The US worked very hard and quickly, and launched its first satellite in January1958.

Then, in October of 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA was founded to promote US space exploration projects.

NASA

NASA launched the first successful weather satellite in 1960.

Meanwhile, in April 1961 Yuri Gargarin became the first person to orbit (circle) the Earth.

February 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth.

Friendship 7

John Glenn’s spacecraft was named Friendship 7.

More than 60 million Americans watched the launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida which stayed in space for 4 hours and 48 minutes.

Telstar 1

The US and the Soviet Union continued to build and test new rockets and satellites. It was discovered that satellites could be used for communication.

The US satellite Telstar 1 relayed the first transatlantic telecast in 1962.

Apollo 11

On July 16, 1969, the American spaceship Apollo 11 blasted off carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins.

While Collins circled the moon in Apollo 11, Armstrong and Aldrin guided the Eagle, a small, specially designed spacecraft, down to the moon’s surface.

They became the first people to walk on the moon.

Apollo 11

US Takes the Lead

With the success of Apollo 11, the United States had taken the lead in the space race.

The space race continued until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, but space exploration continues today.

The International Space Station is an orbiting station on which American and astronauts from former Soviet countries now explore space as friends.

Group Activity

Move back to you seats. Work with your shoulder partner to

make sure you have answered all questions.

You will have three minutes to do this.

Ticket-Out-the-Door

1.) What was the space race? 2.) How did the rivalry between the

Soviet Union and the United States fuel the space race?