WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The USSR rocketed to the lead in the Cold War’s “Space Race” with the launch of Sputnik, a basketball-sized satellite that became the first manmade object to orbit the Earth. On October 4, 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth.

Detailed explanation-2: -The fact that the Soviets were successful fed fears that the U.S. military had generally fallen behind in developing new technology. As a result, the launch of Sputnik served to intensify the arms race and raise Cold War tensions.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Sputnik launch marked the start of the space age and the US-USSR space race, and led to the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Detailed explanation-4: -Sputnik’s launch caused fear of the Soviets using new rocket technology for military purposes and caught the United States off guard. In response, the United States increased their efforts and resources to catch up to the Soviets. These efforts led to the Apollo missions that eventually landed men on the moon in 1969.

Detailed explanation-5: -The competition began on 2 August 1955, when the Soviet Union responded to the US announcement of their similar intent to launch artificial satellites. The Space Race has its origins in the nuclear arms race between the two nations following the Second World War.