Question

During the Cold War, the Space Race became an important competition between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Use the Internet and any text resources available to you to research the Space Race. Then write a 3–5 paragraph essay about this historical event. Address the following in your essay:

Explain why the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in the Space Race and when it occurred.
Describe the purpose, financial cost, risks, and benefits of the Space Race.
In your view, explain whether the benefits of the Space Race were worth the risks and costs.

Answer 1

) was created in 1958 as the federal agency with primary responsibility for the development of civilian aerospace research.

Early Soviet successes in the space race had a major impact on US society and culture, altering strategic defense doctrines and leading to new educational initiatives.

The Cold War in space

The Cold War(Opens in a new window) was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union in every conceivable arena – even space. When the Soviets launched the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, in October 1957, it set off alarm bells in the Eisenhower administration and created intense fear and anxiety among the US public that the Soviet Union had surpassed the technological achievements of the United States.