Space Race /Arms Racebetween U.S.A and Russia

The growth of atomic weapons between the two

superpower.• in 1949 the united state had dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to end world war two.

• _________ years later, The Soviet union built their own atomic bomb. Many Americans feared a nuclear attack. http://youtu.be/IKqXu-5jw60

• A deadly arms race had begun . Both superpowers _________________ nuclear weapon. By the end of the decade, both sides were developing missiles to carry bombs to each other's doorsteps.

Space Racebetween U.S.A and Soviet

Union• Space Race was a __________________ of space exploration between the United State and Soviet Union, which lasted roughly from 1957 to 1975.

• By 1960 the superpowers were in a space race as well as an arms race. Americans were stunned in 1957 when the Soviet sent __________________, a man-made satellite, into orbit around the earth.

Start of the “Space Race”

• October 4th, 1957, Russia launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into orbit

• Sputnik orbited the earth once every _________ minutes.

• Caused a wide-spread panic in the U.S.

• People feared the Soviet Union would dominate the world in space exploration

Competitors in the Space Race

• After the launch of Sputnik, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were in direct competition to have most advanced space program

• Viewed as a ________ between communism and capitalism• National pride and fears for national _____________

played large roles in motivating space race

United States

Soviet Union

Laika & Sputnik 2

• The first US satellite Explorer 1 would not be launched until February 1, 1958.

• The Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 was launched into outer space on November 3, 1957.

• Inside Sputnik 2 was a dog named Laika. Laika became the first animal launched into orbit, paving the way for human spaceflight.

Formation of NASA

• Founded 1958 after Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act

• Formed in direct response to the launch of Sputnik

• Purpose to provide organization and direction of U.S. space program

• First missions focused on getting humans into space, studying effects of space on humans, and returning astronauts safely to Earth

First Human(s) in SpaceOn April 12, 1961, the Soviets succeeded in launching the first human into space.

______________________

American _______________ was the first man to orbit the earth on February 20, 1962.

The Mercury Project

• NASA’s first mission

• Mission goals: – getting an astronaut into space

– completing an ___________

– returning astronaut to Earth safely

• Several preliminary Mercury launches were _____________

The Mercury - Atlas I spacecraft

Enos the chimpanzee, crew of the Mercury – Atlas V spacecraft

The Gemini Project• Involved sending two astronauts into orbit for longer periods of time

• Paved the way and tested equipment for the Apollo missions to the moon

• Astronaut Ed White, II performs the first spacewalk by an American during the Gemini IV mission

Astronaut Ed White, II

The rendezvous of the Gemini VI and Gemini VII spacecraft

President Kennedy’s Challenge

• May 21, 1961: President Kennedy challenged the United States to land astronauts on the moon and to return them safely to Earth.

• Challenge provided a “finish line” for the space race

President John F. Kennedy

The Apollo Missions

• Apollo 11-17 involved landing men on the __________; Apollo 13 was aborted due to a malfunction

• July 20, 1969, ____________________________________________of Apollo 11 were first men on the moonBuzz Aldrin,

The Apollo 11 launch

Neil Armstrong