1. The Space Race

2. Essential question
How does the space race relate to the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union?

3. What exactly was the Space race
The Space Race was a 20th century competition between the United States and the Soviet Union for supremacy in spaceflight capability.
Remember….Everything during the Cold War was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union.
How and why?

4. Why even care about outer space?!
The space race had its roots in military and scientific uses.
Before Sputnik was launched, the United States and Soviet Union had plans for having spy satellites.

5. When did it start?
October 4, Soviet scientists launched the world’s first space satellite- SPUTNIK.
How did Americans feel?!
Surprised and Frightened.
Why?
Soviet Union had nuclear weapons and could put a satellite orbiting in space.

6. Soviet Union winning the Space Race
April 12th, Soviet Union launches the first spacecraft into orbit- VOSTOK
Soviet Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space.
Soviet Union now has successfully launched the first satellite and spacecraft.

7. The United States Reacts
President John F. Kennedy promised that the United States would have a man on the moon before the 1960s were over.
Invested billions of dollars into the space program.

8. Americans gain some ground
May 5th Alan B. Shepard becomes the first American in space.
About one month after Yuri Gagarin orbits the earth.

9. Orbiting the Earth- Merican Style
February 20th, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth.

10. July 20th 1969
Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon while Pilot Michael Collins orbits around the Moon.
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

11. Did the space race cost anything?
Fueled hostilities between the United States and the Soviet Union…
The rush to technology also led to many deaths….
January 27th, Three astronauts of Apollo 1 die in a fire during a ground test.

12. What were the effects of the space race
Technology advanced greatly during this period.
Space race also changed the way students learned. (focus on mathematics and physical science)
Today, thousands of satellites are orbiting Earth relaying communications data across the planet.