During the Space Race the United States and Soviet Union competed to see who had the best technology in space. This included the events that could put the first spacecraft into orbit and who would be the first to walk on the Moon. The Space Race was considered important because it showed the world which country had the best science, technology, and economic system. The first goal of the Space Race was to get a working satellite into space. The first country to succeed in this goal was the Soviet Union with the satellite named Sputnik 1. The Sputnik 1 was launched on October 4, 1957 at 7:28 PM. The United States reaction to this accomplishment was that the United States feared that the soviet Union could launch a surprise attack at any given time on them because the Soviet Union had the satellite. On January 31, 1958 the United States launched a successful satellite to orbit the Earth called Explorer 1.
In 1958 NASA, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was established for the main purpose for people to explore the universe and search for life. NASA later launched the Apollo 11 mission which was the first shuttle to land on the moon. In May, 1961 president John F. Kennedy declared that "the United States would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade." The first ever human in space was a man named Yuri Gagarin in April 12, 1961 and Alan B. Shepard on May 5, 1961. In 1962, a man named John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. The first woman to step foot on the moon was named Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova on June 16, 1963.
In 1958 NASA, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was established for the main purpose for people to explore the universe and search for life. NASA later launched the Apollo 11 mission which was the first shuttle to land on the moon. In May, 1961 president John F. Kennedy declared that "the United States would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade." The first ever human in space was a man named Yuri Gagarin in April 12, 1961 and Alan B. Shepard on May 5, 1961. In 1962, a man named John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. The first woman to step foot on the moon was named Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova on June 16, 1963.