Space Race

       The space race basically started on October 4, 1957 when the Russians launched the first satellite into space called Sputnik. This scared the United States into reacting because of the fear that it was now possible for the Soviets to launch nuclear missiles. The situation only digressed for America once the second Sputnik went into space except this time it was caring a living dog named Laika that meant it was possible for the Russians to send people into space. The first time that the Soviets got some competition from the United States was January 1958 when we launched Explorer 1 when we launched into space. Even though the Soviets were clearly winning the race at this point they kept pushing and pulled even farther ahead when Yuri Gagarin of Russia  became the first man to ever be in orbit. Although it was only a month behind that the U.S.'s Alan Shepard reached space, it was another year before American John Glenn was able to successfully go into orbit. 

      At this point The United States felt very uncomfortable being in this situation and it was clear that they needed to start progressing much faster in order to be the threat they hoped to be. The United States decided that the only way for them to win the race would be to get the first man on the moon, from then on that was our primary objective. Even Kennedy proclaimed that by 1970 we will have landed a man on the moon and brought him back safely. A 25 billion dollar investment to create the Apollo project was formed. Just 6 months before the end of the decade Neil Armstrong landed on the moon and set the stage for what America had to show. The very next day a Russian droid that was attempting to make a lunar landing crashed and was completely destroyed. This signified the end of the space race and a revolutionary underdog victory from America after struggling to keep up for almost a decade.