COLD WAR – THE SPACE
RACE
BEGINNING TO THE SPACE RACE
• The Space Race grew out of the Cold War between the UNITED
STATES and the SOVIET UNION, the most powerful nations after
World War II. For a half-century, the two superpowers competed
to be the best in the field of space exploration.
• The race began because both countries wanted to be able to fire
weapons across the ocean (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles aka
ICBMs), put satellites into space to spy on each other, and to show
scientific excellence by putting a man on the MOON.
1957
• The Russians fired the first
satellite into space. SPUTNIK I
was a 60cm metal sphere that
went into orbit some 560 miles
up, and at a speed of 18,000
mph it was completing one
circuit (one rotation around
the Earth) every hour and 36
minutes. It weighed 184
pounds and carried a radio
transmitter.
1958
• The newly formed National
Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) selected
seven men to become the first
astronauts in the history of the
United States. The US also put
their first satellite into orbit.
1961
• On April 12, 1961, the Soviets
successfully launched Russian
cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin into space.
HE WAS THE FIRST HUMAN IN
SPACE.
• On May 5, 1961, the U.S. sent
astronaut Alan Shepard into space.
He made a 15-minute flight. In July
1961, Gus Grissom became the
second US astronaut to go into
space orbit. He circled Earth in 108
minutes and landed safely.
• In August 1961, a second Soviet
space flight lasted for 25 hours,
circled the globe 16 times, and
landed safely. The Russians were
ahead of the USA.
1962
• On February 20, astronaut
John Glenn was launched into
space. He was the first
American to ORBIT THE EARTH.
Eventually his heat shield
failed, and despite the heat
Glenn survived and made it
back to Earth. He was given a
hero’s welcome in Washington.
1963 - 1965
• The Soviets continue their
successes in space, launching
the first woman into space.
They also sent up the first
three-man crew, as well as
completing the first spacewalk.
The Russians have the clear.
1967
• TRAGEDY for the US: the crew
of Apollo 1 — Gus Grissom,
Edward White II, and Roger
Chaffee — are killed in a fire on
the launch pad.
• TRAGEDY for the Soviet Union:
On April 23, the Soviets
experience the death of a
cosmonaut when his
spacecraft's re-entry parachute
fails.
1969
• On JULY 20, the United States,
behind the Apollo 11 mission
led by Neil Armstrong and Buzz
Aldrin, LAND HUMANS ON THE
MOON. The ultimate Space
Race mission is achieved by
the Americans.
TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED DURING THE SPACE RACE
1. Satellite TV
4. Smoke/carbon monoxide detectors
Modern life would be almost unthinkable without
having hundreds of TV channels to keep us entertained
- and it's NASA we have to thank.
Now used to detect gas leaks in many of our homes,
this was originally developed to detect toxic fumes and
fire on board the Skylab space station in the early
1970s.
2. Laptops
The Shuttle Portable Onboard Computer (SPOC) made
its debut in 1983, helping astronauts on board the
space shuttle to carry out space navigation and other
onboard functions and was designed to be tough and
powerful.
5. Telemedicine
From programmable pacemakers to blood pressure
monitors, the space program has been responsible for
dozens of healthcare applications all designed to help
astronauts stay healthy.
3. The Dustbuster
6. The joystick
Although the first cordless power tool was invented by
US firm Black and Decker in 1961, it was NASA who
asked the company to develop a battery-powered drill
astronauts could use to collect rock samples from the
moon.
Next time you're enjoying a good waggle in front of
your PC, spare a thought for the scientists at NASA
who invented the joystick in the first place.
TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED DURING THE SPACE RACE
7. 3D graphics and virtual reality
NASA was also instrumental in the development of
3D graphics, virtual reality and flight simulators,
chiefly because it needed a way to visualise spacebased environments here on earth. The smooth
landing on the moon achieved by astronauts
onboard the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) was
largely the results of hours of practice using flight
simulators.
8. Non-reflective displays
If you find high gloss displays on laptops and
desktops a bit icky (thank you, Apple), at least you
get hold of the alternative - monitors and TV
screens with a non-reflective coating that enables
you to see what's on screen without peering at
your own mug.
9. Ear thermometers
Anyone who's ever had to take a child's
temperature will appreciate this space race spinoff.
Ear thermometers use infra-red technology
originally developed by NASA to measure the
temperature of stars.
10. Satellite navigation
NASA can't take the credit for inventing the Global
Positioning System (GPS), but it arguably had a big
hand in the device that sits on your dash. NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed Global
Differential GPS, which enables vehicles to be
placed in three dimensional space with accuracy
down to one meter.