U. S. Space Program: The Triumph of Appolo 13

America has always taken great pride in its successes and accomplishments in science and technology; its claim of superiority is indisputable and evident with the continuous scientific discoveries and constant advancement of electronic gadgets. However, according to Burton Diche, during the 1950s and 1960s, "the American space program had absorbed a series of high-profile embarrassments as the Soviet Union, with which the U.S. was competing in a so-called Space Race, seemed to remain one step ahead."1 Yet, instead of accepting defeats, America demonstrated its power to the Soviets and the world by the extraordinary triumph of the first moon landing in 1969. In order to fully appreciate the significance of the lunar landing of Apollo 11, one must review the history of the early U. S. space program, from its inception to the successful completion of the Apollo mission. The United States and the Soviets began their fierce competition after World War II, the Cold War era; not only was the arms race on the ground, but also race in space. The contest in superiority of space exploration intensified after the Soviet Union's successful launch of Sputnik I (first artificial satellite) into orbit in 1957. 2 While the Soviets celebrated their unprecedented achievement, the American public was in shock; all of a sudden, they felt beaten. Murray and Cox point out that "Sputnik was the first time the Soviets had demonstrated superiority to the United States in any technological endeavor. It was especially galling to see them do it in a field as visible, as exotic, and as potentially dangerous as rockets and space exploration ." 3 In a similar tone, Walter McDougall agrees, "All hell did break loose. Sputnik was a sharp slap to American pride, but worse, it suggested Soviet technical and military parity with the West, which in turn undermined the assumptions on which free world defense was based. "4 In response to the public outcry and