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Today, technology growth is incredible, and advancements occur at a rapid rate. For Americans to adapt to new technology of Cad’s from cassette tapes, it only took eighteen months. However, to convert from Cad’s to MPH technology, it only took an astonishing three months. What caused us to be able to develop this new technology so quickly? The Space Race can easily be named as a very important reason because it was the first time in history that countries were having a “technology war”, better now as the cold war.
Without it, this world would not be the same. The cold war may not have occurred, however, without the influence of Wig’s outcome. During World War Two (WI), Russia, Britain, and the United States of America (U. S. A. ) were the three main forces known as the Allied Forces battling against the Axis Powers: Germany, Japan, and Italy. After the Allies’ victory, American ties with Russia unraveled, and the two great nations raced into what is known as the cold war.
This cold war was “the intense rivalry that developed after WI between roofs of communist and miscounts nations” (Donahue 1), mainly the United States of America and The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, Soviet Union, Russia). Because of nuclear knowledge and new technology developed in WI, there was a rapid growth to develop these advancements. German Rocket Scientists were recruited to help advance both countries’ space Cession 2 technology. By the sass, technology was advanced far enough that Space travel was a reality (Immense 4).
The soviets, as America would soon realize, understood the potential of this technology. In 1951, The FBI received intelligence that German rocket scientists in America were being recruited by the Soviets (Kenny 4). As the early sass ended, the fear of the spread of communism rose not only in politicians but to the American people. With the aid of German scientists, the Soviets had launched a satellite into space, causing every American man, woman, and child to live with the constant fear of being watched by the Soviets.
As the world was trying to recover from WWW, a different kind of war was developing. “While Peace Corps volunteers irked on the ground, a much larger cold war competition was taking place far above the earth in the newest of all frontiers, outer space”(Kenny 115). The American citizens needed someone to help them to be driven against this new war. To the American people, President John F. Kennedy BOOK) was a young new, upbeat president who made the new frontier space a top government priority. Minion, he set America on fire with his vision and goal for the space race (Immense 21). L believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man n the moon and returning him safely to earth” (Kenny 117). Thanks to the presidents Inspiration, many Americans were eternal to wall ten race to space and in turn beat the Soviets and Communism. The Space Race had begun. JEFF called in Werner Von Braun, the German rocket scientist living in the U. S. A ,to design rockets for the civilian agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Cession 3 (NASA). This organization had been founded by President Eisenhower in October 1958 (Immense 11).
Kennedy’s Advisors told him that an all-out space race with the soviets would not guarantee American success. If we are to win the battle that is now going on around the world between freedom and tyranny, the dramatic achievements in space which occurred in recent weeks should make it clear to us all… ” Said Kennedy in response to recent Russian achievements (Kenny 117). He made it known to the American people that the whole world was watching and challenging them. Who would be the strongest and greatest nation? He informed the American people that they must win; he inspired them to defend their Republic.
Soon after he was assassinated, many people wondered if his death had anything to o with the Soviets. This helped fuel the American people’s desire to win. The Race to Space involved a lot of work, training, and men and women. Soviet astronauts, known as cosmonauts (Berg), and American astronauts had to undergo serious amounts of stress, and extreme training. For both astronauts and cosmonauts “stresses of early space flight included confinement in small space while traveling at high speeds” (Berg). They had to be physically fit and able to experience weightlessness and extreme temperatures.
This caused several problems affecting their balance. Both astronauts and cosmonauts in training were dropped into freezing lakes and placed into deserts. They also had to work underwater, spend time in altitude chambers, and be strapped to center fugues (Berg). As well as being physically fit, they had to be highly trained intellectually, especially in the sciences, and very well educated. As astronauts and cosmonauts were busy training, the scientists were working hard and soon Russia took the lead with several accomplishments and “space firsts”.
Sputnik AAAS the first Cession 4 artificial satellite to be launched into the earth’s orbit on October 4, 1957, by the Soviet Union. It was unmanned, sent out a beeping signal, and was the first achievement of the Space Race ( Immense 13). The soviets also had the “first” for sending the a living being into space when they sent Alike, a dog, into space on November 9, 1957, in the Sputnik 2 (Mooring). She however did not return safely, but died of heat exhaustion and a lack of oxygen on the return flight. Although, she died on the way back, Alkali did prove that an animal could live in space.
America fought back and launched the Explorer all the way to space on January 31 , 1958. America, however, was still lagging behind. In April 1961, the first human was launched into space by the Soviets (Donahue 1). The man was Yuri Garaging, and his trip lasted two hours. He said after his flight, “Now let the other countries try to catch us”(Immense 5). Indeed, catching up with the Soviet Union would be a tedious and challenging task for the USA . John H. Glenn Jar. Was the first American to orbit the earth on February 20, 1962. This was a step in the right direction but not enough to launch America back into the Space Race.
However, Alan Sheppard did. Although Shepherd’s flight only lasted twenty minutes and Gratin’s was an hour, his success was a boost to the U. S. A. Sheppard was launched into space on May 5, 1961, in Florida on the Freedom 7. I nanas to tons Talent Ana tons accomplishment, America was Tack In ten race running neck and neck with the soviets. The Soviets had another first’ when Valentine V. Thresher’s was the first women in space, sent up on June 16th 1963, and returning on the 19th. Yet then again, in 1965, Russia made history when Alexei Leonie was the first human to have a tethered walk in space.
Cession 5 Nearing the end of the Space Race, both sides were vying to land on the moon and the Soviets were very close. “…. A Soviet probe passed close to the moon and another hit the moon… “(Berg). Then America had a perfectly-timed break through and made it to the moon. On July 20, 1969 (before the decade was out Just as the late President Kennedy envisioned) Neil A. Armstrong and Buzz Aladdin, on the Apollo 11 lunar module, successfully landed on the moon and safely returned. After this win for the U. S. A, the space race eased and slowed to a stop.
America was credited with winning he race to space; however, the Soviets had the lead throughout the whole race and still hold many world records in the “space firsts” category. The Space Race may have died down and ended, but the effects of the race still exist today. The technology, especially, has become quite advanced because of how rapidly the research was completed with the extreme pressure and competition. Many advancements developed because of the space race, that many people know and use today. For example, there has been the centralization of Temper-Pedicel, “Astronaut experience enormous G-force during lift-off and flight.
Temper material was developed to distribute the force evenly around the body'(“Race To Space”). It is now sold all over the world in form of pillows. Another example is Radiation-Blocking Sunglasses. ” Radiation blockers made by Sun Tiger filter more than 99% of damaging solar rays. NASA research on advanced optical coatings for mirrors, camera lenses, and telescopes used in space use a dye curtain to filter out harsh blue and ultraviolet light for welders”(“Race To Space”). There were also many Military advancements, including new technology in weapons, especially rockets, traveling, tracking devices, Amerada, etc.
Cession 6 The world watched Communism and Democracy fight. They watched as advancements occurred, as history was made, and the future completely changed. America’s winning the race to space cannot be credited to one, two , or even a few men or women, but to the nation. Of course there were leaders and astronauts and politicians who worked hard to gain this accomplishment, but it was the people who won. They won the race for better technology by pushing for advancements. The Space Race was probably the most important battle of “the technology war” because t gave the people, phones, ‘pods, tablets, and computers.