Space Race


The Space Race refers to the 20th-century competition between two Cold War rivals, the Soviet Union (USSR) and the United States (US), for dominance in spaceflight capability. It had its origins in the missile-based nuclear arms race between the two nations following World War II. The technological superiority required for such supremacy was seen as necessary for national security, and symbolic of ideological superiority. The Space Race spawned pioneering efforts to launch artificial satellites, uncrewed space probes of the Moon, Venus, and Mars, and human spaceflight in low Earth orbit and to the Moon. It effectively began with the Soviet launch of the satellite Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, and concluded with the co-operative Apollo–Soyuz Test Project human spaceflight mission in July 1975.


Your Previous Searches
Random Picks

  • Purification Processes: Purification processes in space and astronautical engineering refer to the methods and techniques used to remove impurities and contaminants from various materials and substances used in space missions. These processes are crucial to ensure ... Read More >>
  • GPS: GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth. It consists of a network of satellites orbiting the Earth, ground c ... Read More >>
  • Nickel-hydrogen Batteries: Nickel-hydrogen batteries are rechargeable electrochemical energy storage devices that use a nickel electrode, a hydrogen electrode, and an alkaline electrolyte. They are commonly used in space and astronautical engineering applications due ... Read More >>
Top News

Was Bruce Willis right? Could a nuclear blast save us from killer asteroid?...

Scientists simulated a nuclear explosion using x-ray pulses to push an asteroid-like rock away in space-like conditions....

News Source: Al Jazeera English on 2024-10-04

China's answer to SpaceX's Starlink is also threatening astronomy...

The first 18 satellites of a planned Chinese mega constellation are brighter than all but 500 stars in the sky, raising fears of a huge impact on astronomy...

News Source: New Scientist on 2024-10-03

New Scientist recommends astronomy exhibition Borrowed Light in Berlin...

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week...

News Source: New Scientist on 2024-10-02

Astronomers spot the most massive black hole jets ever observed...

Astronomers have spotted a massive pair of jets releasing material from a distant black hole. The jets are so large they span about 140 Milky Way galaxies in length....

News Source: CNN on 2024-09-25

'How did we get here?' NASA hopes 'artificial star' can teach us more about the ...

In a $19.5 million NASA-funded mission, a team at George Mason University is heading a project to construct and launch a small satellite into orbit....

News Source: USA Today on 2024-09-22