1. Melissa Mulcahy & Pieter Werner
The Space Race
Melissa Mulcahy
&
Pieter Werner

2. How did the successful launch of the Soviet Sputnik impact the United States?

3. About the Race Result of Nuclear Arms Race (ICBMs) 1957-1975
Soviet Russia v. United States
Soviets: wanted control of space to easily bomb the USA.
USA: spy satellite to warn the homeland of Soviet actions.
USA was afraid of being bombed by the Soviets, who were making nuclear weapons.

4. Sputnik I Launch October 4, 1957
Sputnik I orbited the Earth every 96.1 minutes.
Surprised Americans; rose fear.
Incinerated upon reentering the atmosphere January 3rd, 1958.

5. Space Program (NASA) Education Politics (“Missile Gap”) Social
Impact Overview
Space Program (NASA)
Education
Politics (“Missile Gap”)
Social

6. Space Program Vega Project Explorer; January 31, 1958
NASA; October 1, 1958
Wasteful tax dollars?
May, 1961: Kennedy announced goal to land Americans on the moon.
James Van Allen, designer of Explorer.
Technological Self-esteem
Most americans either approved or did not object.

7. Explorer Circled Earth on January 31, 1958
Produced a scientific surprise that was important for later piloted spaceflights
Boosted the United States’s technological self-esteem
Contribution to the understanding of outer space and the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

8. NASA On October 1, 1958, NASA began operation Vega Project (Explorers)
President John F. Kennedy announced a program to land Americans on the moon
Ranger, Surveyor, Prospector, Apollo
Mariner 2 ---USA launch to Venus, finally ahead of Soviets.
July USA first to put a man on the moon.

9. Drastic education revolution toward mathematics and science

10. Before "spoon-fed" too easy music and art
 1995, Progressive Education Association closed.
 life-adjustment education

11. After
higher academic standards, especially in mathematics and science.
National Defense Education Act of 1958.
$887 Million federal funds
based on fundemental ideas, scientific inquiry, mathematic problem-solving.
National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
American Mathematical Society (AMS)

12. Political Impact
Politics was seldom scathed by the Sputnik launch; however, the illusion of the "Missile Gap" was the heat of debate in the 1960 presidential election.
Soviets surpassed US technology
 Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev attempted to inflame American feelings of inferiority.

13. The Missile Gap
Defficency in production of missiles as compared to the Soviets.
Led Americans to believe that Soviets were far ahead of the US.
Center of Kennedy's campaign.
 led to Cuban Missile Crisis

14. 1960 Presidential Election
Large impacts
 Kennedy used it to help his campagin
 danger of US inferiority
 47% of Americans believed in the false "Missile Gap", affected their votes
 clear reason why he won against Nixon

15. Social Impacts Americans developed a new awareness
 social awareness of civil rights
Increased its attention to civil rights, poverty, and an escalating war in Vietnam
Era of protest that education did not escape
Created fear
bomb shelters built
peopled worried whether USSR would attack US/launch missle from space
schools did bomb-attack drills

16. END!

17. Bibliography
Bybee, Rodger. "The Sputnik Era: Why is this Educational Reform Different from All Other
        Reforms?." Reflecting on Sputnik (1997): n. pag. Web. 4 Jun 2010.
        <
Dick, Steven. "Assessing the impact of space on society ." n. pag. Web. 4 Jun 2010.
        <
"Early NASA Era." JPL Timeline. n. pag. Web. 9 Jun 2010.
        <
Hutchinson,Daniel."MissileGap."Sharpe.Web. 
        <
   
"National Defense Education Act of 1958." eNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jun 2010.
        <
        education-act>.
Smith, Rodger. "United States Launches Its First Orbiting Satellite." Salem Press. Web.
      <