19th Century Space Race

The 19th century space race between the United States and the Soviet Union was one of the most influential times in the history and development of American technology. Rooted deeply in the Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, the space race captivated both world powers and casted them against one another. It began in 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first satellite ever to reach outer-space. The space race also occurred at a time in which anti-communist hysteria was rapidly spreading across The United States. American society was based on capitalist ideals, in which trade and industry was controlled by many private owners rather than the state. Conversely, the USSR was a communist society, in …show more content…
Throughout the 19th century, as tensions over Vietnam rose and fell, both countries believed that advanced technology yielded an invaluable military advantage. According to an article written by Khan Academy, “Early Soviet successes in the space race had a major impact on US society and culture.” As the Soviet Union progressed, Americans feared their capabilities. In response to Soviet advancements, congress passed the National Defense Education Act, which allocated $800 million in government funding towards students attending college for science and math. The United States tailored the best and brightest students towards science, engineering, and math, preparing them for a future career at government defense and advancement agencies, including NASA. The article on Khan Academy continues, stating, “[Soviet achievements] created intense fear and anxiety among the US public that the Soviet Union had surpassed the technological achievements of the United States.” Once Sputnik 1 began its orbit, Americans feared that the Soviets had the capabilities to drop intercontinental ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear payloads with the potential ability to destroy large cities and financial centers within The United States. At the time, policy leaders at the Pentagon encouraged The United States government to allocate more funding and time towards space exploration in order to close the “missile gap,” between American and Soviet technology. This sparked incentives of technological superiority; one of the main reasons that The United States involved itself in the space race. President John F. Kennedy fueled the American energy and enthusiasm for the space race, “[making] it an important matter to keep the Space Race a “race,” meaning that the United States must try to stay ahead of Russian advancements,” according to an