History: The Space Race

First, I will explain how the actions of the USSR started The Space Race. Next, how the United States developed NASA and eventually landed the first man on the moon. Finally, the technologies that were developed for space travel and have now become household items we all use in everyday life. In the 1950’s, America was in an upswing. After the victory in WWll, the economy was rapidly expanding, the baby boom had begun and Levittown was built as an example of suburban living. In a different part of the world, Russia was moving to annex land, promote communism and conquer space. The USSR launched Sputnik in 1957 as the first successful rocket to fly into space and return. The U.S. took notice and pushed for increased development of rockets
Gemini rockets were designed to carry two astronauts. These rockets were larger, which enabled some systems to be located in a separate area. They could also change their own orbits and had on board computers (Space Race, 2013). Gemini 4 also produced the first spacewalk by a U.S. astronaut. Ed White spent fifteen minutes outside the spacecraft performing maneuvers. Though a spacewalk was not originally planned, an EVA (extra-vehicular activity) by Russian cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov prompted NASA to add one to this trip (Space Race, 2013). In December 1965, Frank Borman and James Lovell spend two weeks in orbit aboard Gemini 7. During the mission, Gemini 6, a second manned rocket was launched. The goal was to have the two vehicles rendezvous in orbit. This feat was accomplished, marking the first time the U.S. program completed a challenge before the Russians. The Gemini 7 flight plan also had the astronauts conducing twenty experiments ranging from nutrition to the physical condition of the pilots. This mission was also the first to be televised. All the missions were not without problems. Gemini 8 pilots, Neil Armstrong and David Scott, had to cut their flight short due to uncontrolled rolling. Quick thinking by Armstrong in using thrusters allowed the craft to restore control and make a safe
Northrop Grumman had been chosen to build lunar module or LM. After seven years of design and construction, the first LM was ready. The small unit would be attached to the top of a Saturn rocket and sent into lunar orbit. The rocket was designed by Wernher von Braun, a famous German engineer. Von Braun had surrendered to U.S. troops in 1945 and had come to work for the Space Program. The lunar module was designed to provide backup communications, guidance control and software for mission analysis. The craft also included antennas that allowed live television transmission from the surface of the moon. The crew of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin established orbit around the moon and made the first color television broadcast to Earth. Two days later, Aldrin and Armstrong boarded the Lunar Module for their descent to the lunar surface. After Armstrong stepped out on the moon on July 21, 1969, he spoke this famous speech on live TV, “One small step for Man, One giant leap for Mankind”. Aldrin joined him on the surface and the two men conducted experiments, gathered samples of the Moon’s surface and left a commemorative plaque at the landing site. The success of Apollo 9 forever guaranteed that the United States would always be ahead in the race to space. The Apollo program continued for several more