The Space Race

In your warm up section, answer the following questions: “For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace. We have vowed that we shall not see space filled with weapons of mass destruction, but with instruments of knowledge and understanding…” John F. Kennedy In your warm up section, answer the following questions: What event is Kennedy referring too in this speech? Who is he implying when he says “governed by a hostile flag”? Why might he feel so passionate about the issue of space?

As you listen to the song, think about how the words being sung relate to outer space.

A little background to begin... German scientists developed the V2 rocket during the latter part of World War II. ~This powerful rocket was capable of sending an armed missile across a great distance without the use of aircraft. ~Following World War II, both the US and USSR brought some of these rocket scientists out of Germany and sent them to work in science labs with scientists from those nations. Their objective was to build rockets capable of carrying a vehicle into space.

Sputnik The launch of Sputnik by the USSR on October 4, 1957, was a complete surprise to the USA since all launches done by the Soviet Union were done in secret. ~ It was labeled the Second Moon since it orbited the Earth about once every 90 minutes. It appeared as a faint star crossing the night sky west to east. ~ Huge blow to Americans because a communist country had beaten them into space. The second surprise came a month later when Sputnik II was launched, ~ Dog Laika aboard. This put the space race into high gear as the US and USSR began to build bigger and better launch vehicles. The winner was the first nation to place a person on the moon. Laika Sputnik Sputnik II

What was at stake if one country fell behind the other in the space race? US Astronaut Soviet Cosmonaut

Now on to the Races... Posted around the room are QR codes with important information about the events during the Space Race. As you scan each code, write the information for each date. Put a mark in the box next to the country you think won that year. At the end, tally up the marks to see who won.

Re-cap 1957 USSR - First Satellite to orbit the Earth; First orbiting life form, a dog named Laika.

1958 US – First American Satellite USSR – First data about Earth taken from orbit

1959 USSR- First spacecraft to travel beyond Earth orbit. Missed moon and went to orbit around the sun. US – First American deep-space probe passed within 37,000 miles of moon and then into solar orbit

1961 USSR – First Man in space, Yuri Gagarin US – Alan Shepard, first American in space. Partial orbit of Earth

USSR - Part of Soviet dual mission that orbited 3 days 22 hours. 1962 US - First US manned orbital flight. John Glenn makes three orbits around the Earth USSR - Part of Soviet dual mission that orbited 3 days 22 hours.

1966 USSR - First soft landing on moon, returned surface photos of the moon US - First American soft landing on moon, returned 11,240 photos.

USSR - First manned test flight of new Soviet spacecraft. 1967 USSR - First manned test flight of new Soviet spacecraft. US - First successful unmanned Apollo flight to test system to take men to the moon

1968 USSR - First satellite to fly around moon and return to Earth. US - First manned orbit of the moon

US - First manned lunar landing. First man on the moon, Neil Armstrong 1969 US - First manned lunar landing. First man on the moon, Neil Armstrong

1971 USSR - First orbiting space station and lab. US - First successful Mars orbiter.

So who won the Space Race?

US - First successful flyby of Jupiter. 1972 US - First successful flyby of Jupiter. USSR - Landed on Venus and lasted long enough to transmit surface data.

Exit Tix: Who was the first man in outer space? Neil Armstrong Glenn Johnson Yuri Gagarin John F. Kennedy

Exit Tix: 2.) Who won the Space Race? USA Soviet Union It was a tie There was no winner because they finished at the same time