In purely technological terms, the USSR trumped the USA. Sputnik and Gagarin were followed by a series of other firsts: the first woman in space, first lunar impact, first image of the dark side of the moon, first space rover and first space station were all claimed by the Soviets. But in the popular imagination, the Space Race was won when the USA put a man on the moon in 1969.
Three years later, tensions between the two superpowers briefly eased. And three years after that, in 1975, the world watched as an American Apollo module docket with a Soviet Soyuz last capsule. The two commanders shook hands in space. The Space Race was over.
Surviving propaganda posters are a potent reminder of the stratospheric ambitions of the Soviet regime during the Space Race.
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@Budwick The Russians largely won the space race up until their lead rocket engineer died in a case of medical malpractice. After that, the Americans had much more success.
@Budwick I wouldn't say so. Putting the first human in space, the first satellite, the first man made object to touch another stellar body, the first spacewalk, the first tandem launch, those are all really significant achievements. The Americans landed on the moon first which is also a really big deal, but I don't know how you can win or a lose a space race. The Germans actually put the first living creature in space, which was a fucking fruit fly.
@Budwick Exactly. And that same system took them, and their entire society, to the brink of historical nation-wide collapse that couldn't even put a loaf of 馃崬 bread on the table - and drove proudly over a cliff. Breaking that country into several pieces on its way down.
Yes, such a wonderful example for all to witness and avoid. Kinda like that turd on the sidewalk that everyone is aware of, but carefully avoids.
@Budwick When did you decide that getting to the moon equals winning? Why did the race suddenly stop as soon as the moon landing happened? Seems a little convenient.
@Budwick That's not affirmative action, he's talking about Operation Paperclip. It was a government effort to extract former Nazi engineers and scientists into the American, and also British, causes. It was pretty successful too. Wernher Von Braun was even one of the people converted.
@BlueMetalChick Sorry Punkin - the race is over, horses in the barn.
Don't worry - space is a big place with plenty of oppo0rtunity for more competition. Though I think we'll all get further by cooperating with one another. Now, if we can just get Russia to stop invading innocent countries!
@Budwick Isn't it funny that you're the only person who gets to decide when the race finished...
We aren't gonna be making any more discoveries in space, sadly. Space exploration is well and truly dead with the rise of privately owned corporate space agencies. There is so much to discover, but we are hopeless.
Funny of you to criticize the Russians for invading an innocent country - which is true, of course - yet you're complacent in your own country currently invading eight innocent countries and abetting two genocides.
@Budwick My agenda is that invading innocent countries is a bad idea. You seem to share that agenda considering your previous comment. Are you telling me I need to be more open to the idea of hostile invasion? Sorry, homeslice, I try to keep an open mind but that's something I'm gonna give a hard no on every time.
So, if you didn't decide, then who did? Who declared that the goal of the space race was to reach the moon and that was the only way to win?
I wish I had better news for you about current space exploration but it's incredibly bleak, and take that from someone who has worked in the field. Privatized space industry is the only thing getting any money right now, and it's almost entirely military. There's zero interest in any form of scientific research or pioneering in the field of astronautics right now. Every major government in the world is investing their money in for-profit businesses like SpaceX, Bigelow Airspace, ULA, and Boeing so that they can put military hardware in orbit or at least commercialize space.
@Budwick assessing the current state of space explorations as bleak because private businesses are more interested in profit than in exploration and scientific progress does not mean someone is not interested in space.
@Gloomy [quote]We aren't gonna be making any more discoveries in space, sadly. Space exploration is well and truly dead with the rise of privately owned corporate space agencies. [/quote]
These are not the words of space exploration enthusiast.
@Budwick Telling her that I'm not interested in space is foolish considering that's my occupation. I didn't go to school for six years and seek a job in the sector because I'm "not interested."
@BlueMetalChick Since 'space is your occupation, it must be devastating for you to say stuff like -
[quote]We aren't gonna be making any more discoveries in space, sadly. Space exploration is well and truly dead with the rise of privately owned corporate space agencies. [/quote]
