The space race was a competition between the Soviet Union and United States, with the first goal being to send an object into space and orbit the earth. The USSR was the first to send a satellite into space in October 1957, named "Sputnik". When the U.S saw this, they put more funds into science and education, hoping to catch up with the Soviets. The Soviets, on November 3rd of the same year, sent Sputnik II into space, carrying a dog named Laika, which was the first animal to enter space. In 1958, The U.S sent "Voyager I" into space.
In October of the same year, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was created, made to conduct research and perfect various space programs. NASA developed rockets, built space capsules, and hired astronauts to become space men.
The first astronaut to enter space was a Russian named Yuri Gagarin, who flew in Vostok I on April 12, 1961, orbiting the earth and re-entering the earth's atmosphere (Interestingly enough, Yuri did not land in his spacecraft, rather he ejected and fell in a parachute due to the capsule having too much speed to land safely). Alan Shepard was the first American to enter space, and John Glenn was the first American to orbit space on February 20, 1962, and Valentina Tereshkova was the first women in space in Vostok 6 on June16, 1963.
In May, 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared “the Unites States would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.” he sadly was assassinated 2 years later and did not get to see the fulfillment of his statement, when the U.S sent Apollo 11 into space, landed on the moon, and took the worlds first steps on the surface of the moon. Apollo 11 was launched in a multi-staged rocket, when the lander and command module were captured by the moon, the command module undocked from the lander and re-docked at the bottom and pushed the lander into a landing trajectory. Afterwards, the lander un-docked and fell towards the surface of the moon, and after a controlled burn, landed successfully. Astronaut Neil Armstrong emerged from the lander, took the first steps on the moon, and uttered the famous words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".
In October of the same year, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was created, made to conduct research and perfect various space programs. NASA developed rockets, built space capsules, and hired astronauts to become space men.
The first astronaut to enter space was a Russian named Yuri Gagarin, who flew in Vostok I on April 12, 1961, orbiting the earth and re-entering the earth's atmosphere (Interestingly enough, Yuri did not land in his spacecraft, rather he ejected and fell in a parachute due to the capsule having too much speed to land safely). Alan Shepard was the first American to enter space, and John Glenn was the first American to orbit space on February 20, 1962, and Valentina Tereshkova was the first women in space in Vostok 6 on June16, 1963.
In May, 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared “the Unites States would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.” he sadly was assassinated 2 years later and did not get to see the fulfillment of his statement, when the U.S sent Apollo 11 into space, landed on the moon, and took the worlds first steps on the surface of the moon. Apollo 11 was launched in a multi-staged rocket, when the lander and command module were captured by the moon, the command module undocked from the lander and re-docked at the bottom and pushed the lander into a landing trajectory. Afterwards, the lander un-docked and fell towards the surface of the moon, and after a controlled burn, landed successfully. Astronaut Neil Armstrong emerged from the lander, took the first steps on the moon, and uttered the famous words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".
Links to Timelines of the Space Race
To be the first to enter the cosmos, to engage, single-handed, in an unprecedented duel with nature—could one dream of anything more?
— Yuri Gagarin
— Yuri Gagarin
That's one small step for a man... One giant leap for mankind.
—Niel Armstrong
—Niel Armstrong