Space Race Research Paper

"We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too." This quote was made by John F. Kennedy on September 12, 1962, and it encompasses the dedication the US had to winning the Space Race, a space technology race between the United States and Soviet Russia. The Space Race would soon become a huge competition led by many big factors and decisions. Overall, The Space Race started with the USSR's launch of Sputnik, an event which fueled nationalism in both countries, and ended with the United States landing a man on the moon.

The Space Race was a competition between the Soviet Union and the United States for supremacy in space. From 1955 until 1975, both sides battled it out to be the leader in the competition. Fueled by the Cold War and other causes of the beginning of the race, the Soviet Union and the United States fought for authority in a very public manner through the media. There were many achievements at this time and it led the way for many great things to come afterwards.

Although there is disagreement on the precise date that the Space Race began, the moment that it became an important competition that was in the forefront of the minds of everyday Americans is on April 12, 1961 when Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the earth in Vostok 1. (citation). This event created a feeling amongst the American public that the Russians were further ahead in science and technology than the United States, as well as the fear that the Soviets could use their superior technology to be better able to attack the USA from a distance. Shortly after Gagarin’s flight, the United States launched astronaut Alan Sheppard into

This accomplishment changed the world in terms of space development. Some can not say the USSR won too because the US has done what the USSR could not at the time. “Such attention proved rewarding 12 years later on July 16th, 1969, as Apollo 11, the fifth manned mission of NASA’s Apollo space program, successfully ended the space race as it landed on the Moon” (Ebscohost). As the USSR accomplished a lot, so has the US. The US made an incredible comeback into the race after being behind, and that should be respected. As shown, both sides deserve to be called winners because of what they have

In 1962 soeach, kennedy attempts to persuade the public that America should invest in space exploration in the name of progress and national pride. He argues that america has a responsibillity to be the world's leader in space , so that the mysteries of space will be solved for the good of all. Kennedy stated " I accept it without reservation and with only one obligation to devote every effort of my mind and spirit to lead our party back to victory and our Nation to greatness." Solving the unknown mysteries of our past or future will lead us to victory. Former president John F. Kennedy stated "We are not here to curse the darkness; we are here to light a candle." Only benifical discoveries will happen.

On october 4, 1957, in the midst of the cold war, the soviet union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to be sent into orbit sparking the space race, as well as marking the beginning of the space age(Gaber).The space race was a competition between the two biggest rivals in the world, the United States and the Soviet Union. During the space race, the United States and the Soviet Union competed to conquer space exploration. The soviet union ran two main mission Sputnik and Luna and the United State had three, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.The space race brought on many scientific discoveries.

Background: On September 12, 1962, John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivered a compelling speech that motivated Americans to commit to the Space Race. The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union that involved sending humans and animals into outer space and soon landing a man on the Earth’s Moon.

“We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too” (Kennedy 4). John F. Kennedy gave his “We go to the moon” speech on ‎September 12, 1962 to a supportive crowd at Rice Stadium. This speech was given partly as a result of the cold war. Other nations had been making major technological advances and this caused fear in the United States government. In John F. Kennedy’s speech at Rice Stadium, President Kennedy used ethos, pathos, and logos, to convince the American population of the importance of not only participating in the space race, but to also become the highest power in it.

It has been forty-seven years since families across America were in awe watching the Apollo 11 land on the moon and hearing Neil Armstrong famously say “That 's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. It has also been forty-seven years of people doubting the legitimacy of this footage. The theorists versus the realists is a never ending debate over whether this was a staged government hoax or if America actually made it to space. With hundreds of theories circulating involving Stanley Kubrick, Area 51, and the validity of a wrinkle in a flag.Was America really that eager to beat the Soviets and win the Space Race or did we just hit the jackpot in scientific discovery?

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” [Address at Rice University, September 12 1962]- John F. Kennedy. The space race was a turing pointin U.S history. With cold war tension rising between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, they turned to space to prove their dominance. However, space exploration did have it’s critics. Many Americans saw that the spending of $23 billion dollars was unnecessary (Historyshots). “There are so many problems to solve on this planet first before we begin to trash other worlds.” - E.A. Bucchianeri, (Brushstrokes of a Gadfly). Many didn't realize that in a sense we were getting our selfs into.The U.S was basically getting them selfs into another war, but this was to be a different

Around the 50’s and 60’s, the United States and the Soviet Union had a “competition” called the Space Race. “They raced each other in achieving significant firsts in space”(Brigham). The Soviet Union beat the United States in the first satellite, first human in orbit, and the first space walk. But then, the United States stepped in with the first rendezvous in space, the first extension of mission durations in more than a week, and the first docking of space crafts. Later, the United states orbited the moon, and then the famous Apollo 11 mission was when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first stepped foot on the moon.

September 12th, 1961, the day known as day that a choice was made by the USA. “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” (Great Speeches Volume 27: John F. Kennedy, 2012). President John F. Kennedy delivered this infamous speech in the football stadium at Rice University in Houston, Texas on that very day. President Kennedy’s reason for his delivery of this speech was to address the state of our Nation’s Space Effort. The citizens of the United States of America were in quite a state of disappointment due to NASA, or as it was known then NACA (National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics), also how the United States were losing the “race in space” against the Soviets. In order to address this issue President John F. Kennedy developed a well thought-out plan. On May 25th, 1961, JFK proclaimed before Congress that “This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him to safely to the earth.” (Kennedy, 1961). Kennedy then went on to address the nation about the need for space exploration through his Rice University speech. Not only did he understand the importance of reaching the same level as the Russians but surpassing them. Why would that be so important? National pride for the American people. Russia had managed to get an upper hand in the space race by successfully launching Sputnik 1 and

​"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard" (Kennedy). When John F. Kennedy said these famous words, he set the stage for one of the greatest accomplishments the United States of America has ever made. Over the course of that decade, the space race would be in full swing; a universal goal would unite the nation to achieve the dream of sending a man to the moon and safely back to earth. Through human determination, the United States made enough scientific breakthroughs to alter events back on planet earth. In one decade, this nation was able to prove that the sky is no longer the limit. How was the United States able to effectively accomplish such a colossal

“It has a stark beauty all its own. It’s like much of the high desert of the United States. It’s different but it’s very pretty out here”-Neil Armstrong.The Apollo 11 was the first mission to send men to the moon and have them take a step on another planetary body. The objective of this mission was to complete a national goal of a lunar landing determined by President John F. Kennedy. People all around the world were anxiously waiting to witness the mission fail or succeed; everyone had heard about it from newspapers to the television, and even going to see Apollo 11 launch in person. Two articles had been made to show the dangerous circumstances Armstrong and Aldrin would have faced outside of Earth in the unknown outer space. Another article shows the success of the two men sacrificing their lives to achieve something no man has ever done. “In Event of Moon Disaster” and “The July 16, 1969, Launch: A Symbol of Man’s Greatness” are two articles that have different purposes that display how effective they have been, are affected by speaker, audience, and subject, and each article appeal to its own senses of logos, ethos, and pathos.”The biggest benefit of Apollo was the inspiration it gave to a growing generation to get into science and aerospace-Buzz Aldrin.”

“[We chose to go to the moon, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.]” (Kennedy, Space.com) This piece of John F Kennedy’s speech was the fuel for the American space race. It was the birth of the Apollo space mission series, and man’s desire to reach the moon. In the year 2017, the takeaway from the several Apollo missions still resonate today. Being the last set of missions to set foot on the moon, the message for the people seemed clear: Hope. Throughout the entirety of the mission, many small flaws were the cause of major incidents. From the beginning, Apollo had a catastrophic start. Three of its original seven members were incinerated due to design failure of the lunar module. This rough start to NASA’s biggest space program seemed to be the anchor that would stop the ship from moving. As news anchors pointed out as a result of this event, “Apollo [was] out of control.” However, despite the negative feedback of the general population, NASA charged forward with its mission. The result was magnificent, and Neil Armstrong was the result of the hope centered around the mission. His first step on the moon was proof that giving up after the first obstacle, could be the mistake that can never change. Armstrong’s first words to the American people while stepping on the moon changed the desire for space exploration as a whole. His statement, “that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” (Armstrong, Wikipedia) was the basis for the rest of the Apollo