To help ensure that highly trained individuals would be available to help America compete with the Soviet Union in scientific and technical fields, the NDEA included support for loans to college students, the improvement of science, mathematics, and foreign language instruction in elementary and secondary schools, graduate fellowships, foreign language and area studies, and vocational-technical training. (ED.gov, para 7, 2008)
In response to Russia’s apparent lead in the field of space exploration, America launched their first satellite, a scientific satellite called Explorer 1, on January 31, 1958. (Garber, 2007) On December 18, 1958 the first American communication satellite, Project Score was launched. It relayed a Christmas message to the world from President Eisenhower. (Martin,) That same year also saw the formation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This period of time is now referred to as the Space Race.
During the Space Race, technology in the fields of aerospace engineering and electronic communication made great advances. The effects of the Space Race however, went beyond science and communications and affected the everyday lives of Americans. With the onset of space age technology came what are now commonplace
References: Garber, S (2007) Sputnik and the dawn of the space age. Retrieved April 22, 2008 from http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/ Guillemette, R (no date) Sputnik and the crisis that followed. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essa/SPACEFLIGHT/Sputnik/SP16.htm Martin, D (2001) A history of U.S. military satellite communication systems. Retrieved April 25, 2008 from http://www aero.org/publications/crossling/winter2002/01.html The federal role in education (2008) Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html