The Space Race: Sputnik, Gagarin and the Apollo Programme Flashcards

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What is meant by the term "Space Race" in the Cold War?

The Space Race was the competition between the USA and USSR to explore and control space between the 1950s and 1970s.

What was Sputnik 1?

Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite in space, launched by the Soviet Union in October 1957.

Why did Sputnik 1 worry the United States?

It showed the USSR had powerful rockets, made Americans fear a "missile gap", and suggested the Soviets were ahead in technology.

Who was Yuri Gagarin and what did he achieve in 1961?

Yuri Gagarin was a Soviet cosmonaut who became the first human in space and the first to orbit the Earth in April 1961.

Why was Gagarin’s flight a propaganda victory for the USSR?

It proved Soviet space success, made communism look strong, and embarrassed the USA, who had not yet put a person in orbit.

What was the Apollo programme?

The Apollo programme was a series of US space missions, run by NASA, aimed at landing humans on the Moon.

Why did President Kennedy support the Apollo programme?

He wanted to beat the USSR in the Space Race, show US strength, and promised in 1961 to land a man on the Moon before 1970.

What happened on the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969?

Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon, followed by Buzz Aldrin, while Michael Collins stayed in orbit.

How did the Apollo 11 landing change the Space Race?

It gave the USA a huge victory. They met Kennedy’s goal, showed their technology was strong, and many people saw this as the USA winning the Space Race.

How was the Space Race linked to the arms race?

Both used rocket technology. Improvements in space rockets also improved missiles, so success in space suggested a country might also have better nuclear weapons.

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