(The Cold War) Space Race:

What was successfully launched by the USSR in October 1957?

Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit Earth.

What did the USSR launch a month after Sputnik?

A dog, named Laika blasted off into space aboard Sputnik II.

How did the US respond to Sputnik?

A worried Congress authorised $1 billion of funding to the newly established NASA.

How may the USSR be seen to have the advantage in the Space Race up to the early 1960s?

The first US attempt to conquer space failed when the Vanguard rocket exploded on take-off in December 1957.

Who became the first man to reach outer space, and when?

Yuri Gagarin in April 1961.

Why was Yuri Gargarin's trip to outer space so significant in terms of the Space Race.

He quickly became the most important piece of propaganda and travelled the world promoting the superiority of Soviet technology.

What did the USA successfully launch in 1962 and why?

Launched satellites into space and used them to photograph the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

What did President Kennedy embark on during the 1960s?

Apollo programme to put a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s.

When did the US put their first man on the moon?

1969.

What did the successful Apollo 11 landing achieve?

Effectively ended the Space Race, as the vast sums of money poured into the Space Race meant that the US gained the upper hand.

Why was the Space Race important in the Cold War?

Propoganda. Both sides would gain enormous prestige in being in the lead.

How did the US expand on the victories of the 1960s?

In the longer term, they were pushing boundaries further with a Space Shuttle programme. Space travel was becoming routine.

What did the US successes reveal about their strength in the Cold War?

US space technology was capable of destroying Soviet nuclear weapons as they passed through space.

What did the US successes push the Soviet's to do?

Pushed the USSR more towards talks and a new round of detente in the mid 1980s.