Michael Fann
Timothy Gleason
Modern American History - HIST101
October 13, 2014
The Space Race
Beginning in 1958 the United States government deemed it imperative, due to a multitude of reasons, to expand its aeronautical prowess and space presence. The agency that was spawned from these motivations was non-other than NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Agency). Many would argue that this bureau was developed in direct correlation to the Soviet’s launch of the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik. Advancements in a myriad of other scientific fields ensued as the USSR furthered its quest to put Man into space as well. Without the Soviets taking the initiative to broaden their horizons to the final frontier, the United States in all likelihood …show more content…
This threatened and in many ways confused the United States as to how the Soviets could have beaten them to these significant milestones. At the time, many of the people involved with the space program didn’t believe the Soviets were even remotely capable of conquering such feats. Jay Barbree, an NBC News space correspondent, said when referring to the Soviet’s launch of Sputnik 1: “People were so upset. They said these people can’t build a refrigerator, how can they get into orbit? How did this happen?” (Fields, Crisp, & Green, 2008).
Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, officially became the first human to orbit around the Earth on April 12th, 1961. This gave American’s a glimpse into how far ahead the USSR still was in comparison to their own. So on September 12th, 1962 President John F. Kennedy gave his famous and heart-felt speech expressing America’s intentions to go to the moon before the decade was out stating: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…” (Kennedy, …show more content…
(Write), Crisp, M., & Green N. (Directors), (2008). “Mercury: Ordinary Supermen” [Television series episode]. In K. Botting (Producer), When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions, United States: Discovery Channel.
(1962, September 12). Kennedy 's Address at Rice University on Space Exploration. [Newsreel]. Archival Film. Retrieved from https://archives.nbclearn.com/portal/site/k-12/browse/?cuecard=1249
Most expensive object ever constructed. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-9000/most-expensive-object-ever-constructed/
Encyclopedia Astronautica Soyuz. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
Timothy Gleason
Modern American History - HIST101
October 13, 2014
The Space Race
Beginning in 1958 the United States government deemed it imperative, due to a multitude of reasons, to expand its aeronautical prowess and space presence. The agency that was spawned from these motivations was non-other than NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Agency). Many would argue that this bureau was developed in direct correlation to the Soviet’s launch of the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik. Advancements in a myriad of other scientific fields ensued as the USSR furthered its quest to put Man into space as well. Without the Soviets taking the initiative to broaden their horizons to the final frontier, the United States in all likelihood …show more content…
This threatened and in many ways confused the United States as to how the Soviets could have beaten them to these significant milestones. At the time, many of the people involved with the space program didn’t believe the Soviets were even remotely capable of conquering such feats. Jay Barbree, an NBC News space correspondent, said when referring to the Soviet’s launch of Sputnik 1: “People were so upset. They said these people can’t build a refrigerator, how can they get into orbit? How did this happen?” (Fields, Crisp, & Green, 2008).
Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, officially became the first human to orbit around the Earth on April 12th, 1961. This gave American’s a glimpse into how far ahead the USSR still was in comparison to their own. So on September 12th, 1962 President John F. Kennedy gave his famous and heart-felt speech expressing America’s intentions to go to the moon before the decade was out stating: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…” (Kennedy, …show more content…
(Write), Crisp, M., & Green N. (Directors), (2008). “Mercury: Ordinary Supermen” [Television series episode]. In K. Botting (Producer), When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions, United States: Discovery Channel.
(1962, September 12). Kennedy 's Address at Rice University on Space Exploration. [Newsreel]. Archival Film. Retrieved from https://archives.nbclearn.com/portal/site/k-12/browse/?cuecard=1249
Most expensive object ever constructed. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-9000/most-expensive-object-ever-constructed/
Encyclopedia Astronautica Soyuz. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from