The Race to S paoe
The first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched into space by the former Soviet Union on October 4, :ll957. As momentous as this event was tor sci nc , it was a blo,w to the United States. Ameriirnns, feared that tJhe launch indicated a technological gap between the Urnited States and he Soviet U111io111, America,'s rival in the co,ldl War at the ime. With a itedhnologlcal edge, they worrued, he Soviets rnuld dominate the
exploration of space or develop superior weapom,. This widespread concern spurred the
U.S. government to cornbfn 5ev-eral separate organizations Into, a new, b titer-funded organizaition called the National .Aeronautics and Space .Administratio111, or N SA. NASA officially began operaitions on October 1, 1958. our months lat,er1 the U.S. successfully launched its own satellite, Explorer 1.
What is tf1e m in ldea of th p ssag ?
NASA was forimed whern the lJnited States combined several separate space
org1anlzations Into one.
The laundh of Sputnik 1 by the So,viet Union I) ,ornpted M1e United States to
create NASA.
Cold War ten iorns between the Soviets and the United State prompted the
Sovliel Union to launch Spumik 1.