Week 4: Q3. What other countries were involved in the space race? Why were they involved?

                It is highly unlikely that most people know that the Space Race was not just between the US and USSR, but in fact many other nations took minor roles. The only nation that had a big impact in the space race was in fact Canada. We Canadians launched the first satellite into orbit other than the US or Russia. Yay 3^rd place!! The satellite was called Alouette 1 and was launched on September 29, 1962. The next country to do such a launch was the UK as they launched Ariel 1 in the same year.

                As I was conducting research on this topic I realised that many nations had to rely on either the US or USSR to launch their satellites or rockets. These two countries dictated whether your space program will thrive or not. These countries that were allowed to launch their rockets had a major role with either the USA or USSR by having military bases or scientific facilities in these countries. These countries include: Canada, United Kingdom, China, Japan, Israel, France, India and Ukraine. In each of these countries the US or USSR had a say in these countries advancing technologically or not.  But they chose these specific countries to gain allies and also to share information that will eventually lead into the technology we have today.

Canada's Alouette 1

As I was writing out a list about the positives and negatives of the space race I can up with a thesis that will defend my stance of this event. So here it is: The space race was the largest technological event in human history that changed and advanced our everyday lives. I know that many people would think that maybe the scientific revolution was the biggest advancement in human history but the space race created many more vital equipment and theories we still use today to improve lives on a grand scale.