1. Chapter 13 Section 2: The Space Program
What was the space race?
What were the major events in human exploration of the moon?

2. The Space Race The “space race” began in the 1950s.
This was during a “cold war” between the world’s greatest super-powers: Russia and the United States.

3. The Space Race
Tensions accelerated on October 4, 1957 when the Russians put Sputnik 1 into orbit.
Video clip
Further tensions were created when the Russians sent the dog Laika into space in November, 1957.

4. NASA
Because of the competition from the Russians, in 1958 the United States reorganized their space program under a civilian agency NASA (the National Aeronautic and Space Administration).
Its goal was the peaceful
exploration of space for the
benefit of all humankind.

5. Firsts
First human in space to return safely: Yuri Gagarin (Russian), April 1961
First American in space: Alan Shepard, May, 1961
First American to orbit Earth: John Glenn February, 1962
First men to land on the moon: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, July 1969

6. The Mercury Program Initial single-manned flights into space
Goal: to put a man into space and return safely
Significant events:
Alan Shepard, first American in space 5/61
John Glenn, first American to orbit Earth 2/62

7. The Gemini Program Dual manned space flights
Goal: to prepare for a lunar landing
Achievements: docking with other vehicles in space, extended orbital flights

8. The Apollo Program
The American effort to land astronauts on the moon was named the Apollo program.
Neil Armstrong was the first man to step foot on the moon – July 20, 1969

9. The Apollo Program Three person space capsule
Goal: to land on the moon
The space vehicle had three parts
Command module, service module, lunar module

10. The Space Shuttle Program
Using reusable vehicles
Goal: continue to expand our knowledge of space; open space to international human expansion and commercial development
Use of multiple crews: military, civilian, international

11. The International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) provides a place for international cooperation in doing long-term observations and experiments in space.
Construction began in the 1980s with 16 countries involved.

12. Click the Video button to watch a movie about the race for space.

13. End of Section 2: The Space Program