6. When did the space race start? Did it end?

        There is a controversy surrounding the start of the space race. Many people believe it started after World War II when the Soviets and Americans rushed to get German scientists so they can build advanced weaponry that the Germans were testing and using. At this point both nations wanted rocket capability and once they figured out how to get a rocket into orbit it opened a new chapter in human history. But many people also believe that the race started when the Soviets launched Sputnik 1 into space which caused a major panic in the U.S. This led to a rapid sequence of events in the United States and the Soviet Union which helped mobilise the industrial resources of both superpowers. These two superpowers were gearing towards the goal of being the dominant power in space. There is one other theory that the space race is still happening and has always been going on since the early 1900`s with the Wright brothers. Ever since then many nations have launched many satellites and conducted missions to better advance humanity. The current space race is currently between 15 nations that have orbital launch capabilities. These countries include: Brazil, China, India, Russia, Israel, U.S.A., France, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Pakistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

       With the Gemini and Apollo programs the US had taken a huge lead in the Space Race. In July of 1975 with relations between the US and the Soviet Union beginning to thaw. The US and Soviet Union conducted their first joint mission which occurred with the Apollo-Soyuz project. The Space Race was effectively over. But was it? Through my extensive research I believe that it is still going on but in different forms. The race no longer exists between the US and Russia but between countries that are neck and neck with each other such as North and South Korea. The only reason South Korea launched a satellite into space was because the North did so. It is presumed that North Korea has nuclear launch capabilities which angers the South into trying to make their own. Another example would be between Iran and Israel. These two countries are at each others throats creating a competition that would involve space exploration and capabilities. And for a third example would be India and Pakistan, two bitter rivals fighting for space dominance of the other. As we consider the US-Soviet Union competition as being the main fight we forget that space is massive and that their is always going to be nations trying to gain knowledge about space and create technology to further advance as a country.

FUN FACTS:

• The Russians called their space pilots cosmonauts meaning "sailors of the universe". The Americans were called astronauts meaning "star sailors".
• Before Kennedy was assassinated, the Russians and the Americans were discussing working together to put a man on the Moon. After he was killed, the Russians backed off the joint venture.
• The US would likely have had the first satellite in orbit if they had been allowed to use military rockets from the start. However, Eisenhower was worried he would be called a warmonger if he used military rockets for space. He told the scientists they must use research rockets instead.
• 12 billion dollars went into developing a pen that writes in zero gravity for NASA. The Russians just used a pencil
• 500 million watched the moon landing in 1969
• To this day there is still debris from the Apollo 11 mission floating in space

More fun facts next week....