The space race was a competition between two rivals who aimed at achieving spaceflight capability power in the 20th century. The United States of America and the Union Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR), currently known as Russia, engaged in a battle to prove their superiority after the Second World War. The origin of struggle began in the intercontinental ballistic missile-based nuclear weapons between the two nations. The conflict hostility constituted physical battles, diplomatic engagements, and technological advancements. In the 1960s, the war extended beyond the earth’s gravity. The warfare advanced to another level of space due to the atmospheric control prospect and the undebatable message translated to the international community. Space was the final avenue for the Soviets and the United States to compete for their sole superpower status. This paper shows how space exploration has contributed significantly to the rapid growth of technology and other technical ways of addressing global challenges, among other benefits for humanity.
National leaders from the United States and Russia discovered the space exploration opportunity from a political perspective. The investigation led to a funding mission for scientists, among other researchers, to study more and provide equipment that could enable them to win the battle. They spent billions of dollars on the projects to outdo each other. Superior scientific equipment sent people messages about military capabilities and different conclusions (Gainor 80). Sky dominance was more important than land battles since it was a way of proving to the entire world unchallenged superiority.
In October 1957, the USSR launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, which alarmed the Eisenhower administration, the 34th president of the United States. The US public knew the Soviets had surpassed their technologssical achievements, creating intense fear and anxiety. The sputnik satellite was orbited and could send out beeps from the radio transmitter, which could be detected as it passed through the orbit (Wang). In November 1957, Russia achieved more space ventures by making Sputnik 11 that could carry a living creature, a dog.
The United States had been working independently to launch a satellite before the unveiling of Sputnik. Space exploration activities in the United States have been consolidated into an agency in the government known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This committee’s formation indicated their commitment to winning the Space Race. It had made two failed attempts at launching a space station. In January 1958, they completed a rocket called Explorer that carried a satellite. The team consisted of German rocket engineers who were involved in developing ballistic missiles for NAZI in Germany. The Explorer could take several instruments into space for science experiment procedures. The gadgets applied a Geiger counter that detected cosmic rays (Wang). This careful experimentation and other measurements from later satellites have proved the existence of Van Allen radiation belts on earth.
The Soviets produced the first human in space who made one orbit on April 1961 around the earth. The flight lasted 108 minutes in the rotation before returning to the earth (Taylor et al. 3453). The discovery by the Soviet’s space program crushed a blow to NASA scientists. Three weeks later, NASA launched an astronaut into space on a suborbital trajectory, unlike the Soviets, who did an orbital flight (Wang). NASA’s suborbital aeronautics lasted 15 minutes since it was made to go some way around (Taylor et al. 3455). The Soviets were ahead of NASA technologically, although this was a sigh of relief for the United States scientists.
Launching the first world artificial satellite, the first human, and the first dog in space led to other achievements of the Soviet Union ahead of the United States. The milestones included Luna 2 in 1959, which became the first human-made object to reach the moon. USSR also launched Luna 3 a few months later, a human orbit mission around the earth for a full day. Russia was the first to achieve the spacewalk and introduced the Vostok 6 mission, which involved the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova, to travel to space (Carroll 8). President John F. Kennedy challenged the Americans to develop an ambitious goal of landing on the moon and returning to earth safely.
In the 1960s, progress was made following President Kennedy’s goal of the landing on the moon program. The project was named Gemini, whereby astronauts tested their ability to endure spaceflight for many days and the technology required to make the trip successful. Project Apollo later followed that took astronauts to the lunar surface and orbit around the moon between 1968 and 1972 (Shelhamer 51). All along, the Soviets had suffered from low funds to finance the scheme, which made them withdraw from pursuing the moon program. Russia had been drained financially from its investment in developing new intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons to achieve strategic correspondence with the United States.
The cosmonauts encountered many challenges while developing the scheme, including tragedy. For instance, in 1967, Apollo 1 fire swept through the spacecraft’s command module. The deaths of Edward White, Gus Grissom, and Roger Chaffee were witnessed, which was a real blow to those who rooted for the US to win the space race (Shelhamer 51). In December 1968, Apollo 8 was the first successful crew to orbit the moon (Shelhamer 51). The astronauts took photos that helped safely land Apollo 11 on the moon. In 1969, the United States successfully sent its first astronauts to the moon (Shelhamer 52). Neil Armstrong was pronounced the first human to set foot on the moon’s surface (Shelhamer 52). During this time, the cosmonauts collected samples of lunar dust and rocks that aided scientists in studying more about the moon.
NASA launched a series of space probes during the 1960s and 1970s known as Mariner, in which they studied Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Space stations marked the next phase of space exploration. Soviet Salyut 1 station was the first space station in earth orbit in 1971 (Crusan and Galica 56). NASA also launched Skylab space, the first orbital laboratory for scientists and astronauts who studied the earth and the effects of spaceflight on the human body. NASA also carried out the project Viking which landed on Mars in the 1970s (Crusan and Galica 57). They took several photographs and examined the chemistry of the surface environment. The scientists also tested the Martian dirt and the microorganism’s presence.
The Apollo lunar program ended in 1972 when human space exploration became limited to low-earth orbit. Many countries are now involved in researching International Space Station (ISS). Other unpiloted probes have traveled through the solar system, making various discoveries. Some findings include the moon of Jupiter, a moon of Saturn, and oceans under their surface that scientists conclude might harbor life (Crusan and Galica 57). Instruments in space have also discovered other planets orbiting other stars, the exoplanet. Advanced technology since 1995 allows the gadgets in space to characterize the atmospheres of these other planets.
The space race fueled cold war suspicion and rivalry between the United States and Russia. However, it yielded considerable benefits to the entire world. The exercise required a rapid improvement of various fields, including micro-technology, telecommunications, solar power, and computer science (Arzo). Space exploration was necessary since the world could tell which country had the best science, economic system, and technology. After the Second World War, the Soviets and the Americans realized the importance of rocket research to the military. Sending the first man to the moon showed that the United States was a leader in the world, although the Soviets had achieved the first human in space.
Space exploration led to many societal benefits that included the generation of scientific knowledge, the inspiration of people worldwide, and the diffusion of innovation. It introduced agreements between countries that participated in the probe and the creation of markets (Arzo). The International Space partners are strengthened through the association, and job opportunities for the space products and services are created (Arzo). Other benefits of the space race involve economic prosperity, environmental advantages, health, safety, and security (Arzo). The competition made it easy for other researchers to understand humankind’s place in the universe. Admittedly, the human experience is expanded through study and experiments.
The world has created new opportunities for addressing global challenges through partnerships and capabilities development. Space exploration has attracted broad international interest by producing relationships, competencies, and knowledge that help society deal with matters pressing them. It is a catalyst for nations to introduce other explorations of the planetary worlds, emphasizing that other planets might support life. Countries have mutual understanding and trust that advance common discovery goals helping align interests in the community and promoting diplomacy. For instance, the International Space Station (ISS) program requires more extensive international cooperation to achieve the best results (Pekkanen 96). The unity strengthens the capacity for peace and globally coordinated activities on earth and in space.
The ISS partnership has demonstrated the international cooperation functional dimension. It enables parties with different investment levels to access the unaffordable space laboratory for any partner (Neubert et al. 13). The collaboration has overcome economic and political strains to achieve its core mission. The diplomatic value of international unity has been shown through the exploration exercise. Astronauts who served in the ISS are observed as achievers since it is a technical procedure (Neubert et al. 15). cooperation between nations on challenging space projects establishes the ability to advance common goals jointly, thus improving diplomatic ties and other activities.
The space race between the United States and Russia has benefited humans and society. Space exploration yielded technological and scientific innovations that help people every day. Having machines and humans in space presents a challenge that the utmost imagination can overcome. The exercise led to new knowledge and technical revolution that is used on earth in unpredictable ways. The competition served a cultural and inspirational purpose by satisfying a deep need to explore and understand the world. It addresses the questions about the origin and nature of life and the universe. Global challenges can quickly be addressed since satellites provide unique opportunities to counter issues facing society today. The cooperation of nations beyond space help promote more union among the countries. The togetherness aligns interests that enhance peace and stability on the entire globe. No activity on earth matches the exceptional threats of the space race, thus giving reasons for confidence that renews investments for future generations’ positive impact.
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