The Space Race is the competition that was between US and the USSR to become a big 'space power'. Coming out of WWII America and the Soviet Union were two of the biggest powers and the USSR wasn't very happy with the US because we didn't come to their rescue in the war so they felt like they needed to beat us. The main points of the Space race was to get into space, get close to the moon, and get on the moon; ultimately the counrty that got a person on the moon won though.
The USSR and US got help from German rocket scientists to make that country come out on top. On July 29, 1957 the U.S. said they'd have satellites up by Spring of 1958, but USSR said the next day they would have satellites up by the fall of 1957. On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 without a hitch; this success made them the first space power. About four months later the US launched Explorer 1 making America the second space power. The Soviets beat us again with unmanned lunar probes, getting closer to the moon, on Jan. 4, 1959 Luna 1 can close to the moon, but on Sept. 12, 1959 Luna 2 reached the surface of the moon. By this time it was hard for the US to keep their heads up because they've been beaten twice already. (picture of Luna 2)
The first animal in space, Laika, was also with the Soviets; however, Laika was not brought back alive and it was actually planned that way. Still in 1960 two other Soviet dogs were sent up and both made it back. For the United States side of the amimals in space, they sent up two chimps. One sent us on Jan. 31, 1961 and the other on Nov. 29, 1961; both chimps were brought back alive. In my book I would say that's a half win for the US. (picture of Laika)
On April 21, 1961 Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space, not on the moon only in space. This is were a lot of debate comes in with who really "won" the space race, and here's why. On July 21 of 1969 Neil Armstrong was the first man on the lunar surface. Some say that the Soviet union won because they got the first man in space and others would say that the US won because they got the first man on the moon. In my opinion the US did win, bias may also play a part, but getting on the moon was a thing in its self because you're not in a space ship to protect you, it's only a suit. Which ever way you see it, on Oct. 10, 1967 the Outer Space Treaty was signed by the USA, USSR, and the UK, it said that nobody could say that they owned a part of outer space.
"We came in peace for all mankind."- Plaque left on moon from Apollo 11.
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."- Neil Armstrong
Breann Lehr
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Race
http://nummynims.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/moon_landing_armstrong.jpg
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