The space race was a significant aspect of the Cold War, a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union.
It started with the launch of the first artificial satellite in 1957 and included milestones such as lunar landings and the exploration of the solar system.
Key Events
Launch of Sputnik
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first human-made satellite into Earth's orbit.
Sputnik's orbit was completed every 96 minutes.
A month later, Sputnik II was launched, carrying the first living creature, a dog named Laika, into space.
United States' Response
The U.S. had been working on satellite technology but fell behind after Sputnik's success.
The Explorer satellite was launched in 1958, which carried a Geiger counter to study high-energy rays in space.
Formation of NASA
The United States formed NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, to lead the space program.
Soviet Achievements
The first human in space was Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, who orbited Earth on April 12, 1961.
Soviet Union achieved several space firsts: first satellite, first animal, first human, first spacewalk, and first woman in space.
U.S. Advances
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy challenged NASA to land a man on the moon before 1970.
Project Gemini tested necessary components for moon missions.
Project Apollo succeeded in landing Neil Armstrong on the moon in July 1969.
Space Probes and Exploration
During the 1960s and 1970s, NASA launched space probes to study Venus, Mars, and Mercury.
Probes have provided important data, including discovering oceans beneath ice on Jupiter's moons.
Development of Space Stations
The Soviet Union launched the first space station, Salyut 1, in 1971.
NASA launched Skylab, the first U.S. space station, where Earth studies were conducted.
The International Space Station now hosts astronauts from various countries conducting research.
Discoveries and Impact
Probes and telescopes, such as the Kepler Space Telescope, have discovered exoplanets and provided insights into the universe.
Terminology
Astronaut: A person who takes part in space flights.
Exoplanet: A planet outside our solar system, orbiting a star other than the sun.
Probe: A spacecraft designed to study parts of the solar system and send data back to Earth.
References
This summary is based on the National Geographic resource on the history of space exploration.