1. The Space Race America Catches Up
Advance History
Unit:

2. The Russians Win Again April 12th, 1961 Vostok 1
12 of the last 24 Russian rockets had failed
Russians launch Yuri Gagarin into space becoming the first human.
27 years old – 30 min before launch his heart rate was 64 beats per min
Made one orbit
Parachuted separate from the capsule
Landed 240 km off course. Asked a local farmer for a telephone

3. Other Vostok

4. The Mercury Seven
Seven Test Pilots chosen to be our first astronaughts
NASA tried hard to make them look clean cut all American. Out of a 100.
Partiers, drinkers, womanizers (not Glenn)
Five foot eleven – 180 pounds, under 40 and IQ of at least All have degrees.
 Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, Gordon Cooper, and Deke Slayton.
Alan Shepard – May 5th, 1961 first US man in space – up and down (Freedom 7)
John Glenn – orbited earth 3 times (Friendship 7)
Gordon Cooper – 6th and final flight – spent one day in orbit (Faith 7)

5. “We Choose to go to the Moon”
September 12th, 1962
Goal was to persuade US to go to the moon.
Before the decade was out
Rice Stadium in Houston Texas
Kennedy's speech used three strategies:
a characterization of space as a beckoning frontier
an articulation of time that locates the endeavor within a historical moment of urgency and plausibility
a final, cumulative strategy that invites audience members to live up to their pioneering heritage by going to the moon
video

6. The Soviets Maintain the Lead

7. The US pulls ahead with Gemini
10 missions from
Headed by Candian Jim Chamberlin
Three goals:
2 week missions – human endurance
EVA – space walks
Rendevous and docking
Gus Grissom helped design Gemini
Used the Titan II ICBM rocket
Firsts:
Edward White – first US spacewalk 1965
First Space Rendevous 1965
Gemini 8 docked
Highest altitude – 739 miles (still stands)

8. Outer Space Treaty Signed January 1967:
No weapons of mass destruction in space or moon
No weapons testing or military bases on the moon
Exploration of outer space is for all
No country can claim the moon or any other celestial “resource” except man – made.
Private companies must get their nations permission to go into space

9. Questions ??