jan 1, 1958 - Explorer 1 becomes the first satellite to be launched into orbit by America during the Space Race
Description:
During the beginning of the Space Race-- a competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to prove their technological superiority, which is widely considered to be part of or caused by the Cold War-- the Soviet Union launched the first satellite ever sent into orbit: Sputnik. The U.S. was devastated, so they developed their own satellite to launch into space to rival the Soviet Union's. The first attempt of the U.S. was a complete failure, as the Vanguard satellite exploded on liftoff in December 1957. A month later (January 1958), in the second attempt of the U.S., the satellite Explorer 1 was successfully launched into space.
From the Arms Race to the Space Race, the U.S. and the Soviet Union would be constantly attempting to prove each other's superiority one way or another. When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the U.S. thought that its superiority was being challenged, which is most likely the major motivation that led to the launch of Explorer 1 in 1958.
image:
Bill Pickering (left), James Van Allen (center), and Wernher von Braun (right) hold a model of Explorer 1 above their heads after the day of launch
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