Space Race in the 1960's

Web. 11 Apr. 2014. "Space Shuttle Program." National Geographic.

This became known as Kennedy's challenge and the idea was to outperform the Soviets. While the Soviets were off to a better start with the launch of Sputnik I, we soon rose to the challenge and accomplished our goal only eight years later on June 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin safely landed on the moon. With the great accomplishments of Apollo 11, America had bettered the Soviets and established superiority in space. "If we can send a man to the moon, why can't we cure cancer, cl... ... middle of paper ... ...years behind then we are in technology today. The moon landing is one of the most significant events in American history because of the superiority and triumph it had given the United States.

Effects of the Moon Walk On July 21, 1969 three men impacted the world in a big way. Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were not the first men to travel in space but they were the first to walk on the moon. Eight years previously, President John F. Kennedy made a speech to the people of the United States that it should be a national goal to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. During the Cold War the United States and the Soviet Union were a “who’s bigger and better” contest with each other and space exploration was a part of that. The Soviet Union had begun the space race in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik I, an artificial satellite.

2014. . Dunbar, Brian. “Apollo 16.” NASA. NASA, n.d. Web.

The United States and Russia were advancing throughout the Cold War, and a major advancement was the exploration. Sciences were exponential during the 1950s, and both countries were rivals which expelled the competition to the moon. It involved the efforts to explore outer space with artificial satellites, to send humans into space, and to land them on the Moon. Both countries were exponentially at growth with nuclear powers. “The sense of a "race" was largely abandoned by both sides, further space exploration by both countries continued, but without the Cold War fervor over which society was the most technologically advanced” (Veve).

NASA, n.d. Web. 21 May 2014. "Chapter 15. Cruise Phase."

Web. 21 Jan. 2014. . “The Space Race.” History Channel. 23 Jan. 2014. Web.

Web. 13 Apr. 2014. "The Space Race." History.com.

It took a monumental effort by the National Air and Space Administration (NASA) and billions of dollars to reach this point. The Apollo Missions’ accidents, successes, and space leadership have drastically changed America’s space program. On the 25th of May, President Kennedy shocked the nation with his historical speech to put an American on the moon before the decade was out. “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard!” Kennedy announced. In the rest of his speech he challenged the Nation’s smartest minds to build a rocket capable of lifting a man to the Moon and returning him safely to the earth.

In 1962, the first American orbited Earth. Seven years later, Neil Armstrong became the first human to travel the moon. The space race changed world pattern. It consolidated US position and weakened USSR. Although the space race spent huge amount of taxpayer’s money, it ultimately changed American views, restored people’s confidence from losing Vietnam War, strengthened US economy, and significantly affected American future.