A Different Spot For Race Fans

There are three important ingredients to come up with a tasty racing treat. These are first and foremost the competitors involved, the predetermined track or setting, and a coveted prize or reward. The common set-up is that racers perform at their best and do everything in their power to end up in first place. But mind you race fans. What if the prize involved is more than just a shiny trophy amidst popping champagne and cheers of frenzied race enthusiasts? What if it involved global recognition and status? Let’s take a close look at a different kind of race between the US and the Soviet Union.

There was a certain point in history when two world powers collide to assume a position that will consider the winner the best in space technology. It was actually an informal confrontation between the then Soviet Union and the United States. The competition was coined as the Space Race. The primary objective of the competitors is to execute actions that would lead to firsts in space advancements. The idea is to access resources and facilities available for the two countries to start space exploration. At that time artificial satellites were on the mercy of such nations which would really make it possible for their goal to send a human being to space en route to a moon landing.

According to history pages, this so called space race was rooted on the roles played by the participants during World War II. It was after WWII and the onset of the Cold War when both countries began to have friction on issues of propaganda and espionage. It is also noted in past happenings that the US Air Force came to be recognized as the organization that cracked WWII by using large and strategic bomber operatives and bases of advanced technology which was situated near the area of Soviet Union. This triggered the ambition of the Soviet authorities to develop long range artilleries of their own. The wartime rocket technology which was ably harnessed by the Soviet technological efforts then paved the way for bridging its dream of catapulting man into space.

It was on July 29, 1957 that the White House proudly declared due in part to the celebration of the International Geophysical Year that the US has aspirations of launching satellites into orbit by the spring of 1958. It was then identified as Project Vanguard. The Soviets responded with their own astonishing announcement two days later as they have intentions of beating US to the punch by catapulting their own satellite on the fall of 1957.

The Soviet authorities made up for what they said and on October 4, 1957 Sputnik 1 became the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth while placing the Soviet Union on the seat of space power. After a month, the Sputnik 2 was launched along with a live passenger which was a dog named Laika. The two events that transpired were important in bringing back a nation that was destroyed by war on a positive track. It was a morale booster for the constituents of the nation.

Although the US came a bit short on its initial promise, it was able to eliminate the embarrassment caused by the failure of the launching of Project Vanguard via its first satellite named the Explorer 1. This placed the United States as the second space power in the world. Due to the failure of the initial satellite project, the US came into contact of what was then known as the Sputnik Crisis. The administration of President Eisenhower responded by putting NASA into action and creating the National Defense Education Act which focused on providing quality education to promising individuals even if they are shorthanded financially.

The Space Race is an unconventional way of teaching race fans about the understanding of a true race. The heart of a true competitor is harshly tested by the adversities he will face during the course of the action. He will gallantly show the fight in him especially if he knows that his race fans are there to back him up.