The Space Race: A Source of Unity

Section II of Chris Kraft’s book Flight: My Life in Mission Control begins with the Russians launching Sputnik, the first man-made satellite. This sparked the space race between the United States and Russia. The creation of NASA and the start of the Mercury Missions soon followed; manned space travel was not far behind.

It astounds me that even with the limited technology available in the 1950s, engineers were still able to put men in space. Computers back then were bigger than rooms and handheld calculators were unheard of. The physics and logistics of space travel had to be invented by the engineers as space travel had never been attempted before. The perseverance of the engineers and the bravery of the astronauts in an unknown field of science are admirable qualities that can be elusive in this day and age. These people were working for the good of the country, not to further their own agendas. The scientists, contractors, and astronauts were united in an effort to beat the Russians in the space race, which would culminate in 1969 with the first moon landing. This is an excellent example of the American spirit that so many Americans love about United States.