The Space Race

State of military and political tension World War II ended in 1945 and the Cold War began State of military and political tension (1947-1991) http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/F7305311-5F56-43DC-90A2-CAC79B5F1D2B

The United States and Russia began to build long-range rockets. Each armed heavily in preparation of nuclear war

The Soviet’s Get The Atomic Bomb The next goal each nation competed for was the creation of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) which could deliver a nuclear weapon from the nation's soil to its enemy's cities and military bases.

Sputnik: On October 4, 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, into orbit around the earth.

Sputnik weighed 184 pounds and was 23 inches in diameter.

https://www. ted. com/talks/david_hoffman_shares_his_sputnik_mania https://www.ted.com/talks/david_hoffman_shares_his_sputnik_mania?language=en

Sputnik stayed in orbit until January 4, 1958 Sputnik stayed in orbit until January 4, 1958. It burned up when re-entering earth’s atmosphere.

Sputnik II, launched on November 3, 1957, carried a dog named Laika on board.

John F. Kennedy announced on May 25, 1961 that he planned to send a man to the moon before the decade was through.

The First Man To Orbit The Earth On April 12, 1961, Yuri A. Gagarin was launched into space aboard the Soviet vessel Vostok I. He went around once. It took one hour and 28 minutes.

The First American In Space On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the first American in space.

Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to orbit earth. She rode aboard Vostok 5 in June of 1963.

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. His death drove the country to complete the goal of putting man on the moon.

U.S. Lands On The Moon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwZb2mqId0A On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to reach the moon.

The Cold War continued after the Space Race until the break up of the Soviet Union, which would not occur until 20 years later.

After the Space Race: America lost interest in the moon and shifted its concentration to building the Skylab space station.

The Soviets never did send a man to the moon, but they did send robots. They sent back all video footage and photographs they took of the moon. http://www.history.com/topics/space-race/videos/the-space-race