The Cold War and the Conquest of Space Thesis

Cold War and the Conquest of Space

On July 20, 1969, the United States accomplished the impossible. It was on this day that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins set world history. On this day, this crew landed on the moon, finally proving once and for all that America led the world in technology and achievements. In the beginning, there were only two contenders in the race. However, recently, others are beginning to enter into the picture. In order to understand this fascination with the great beyond, one must understand the original race for space and the two superpowers that duked it out.

After WWII, the European powers were in disarray with no clear leader. The U.S. And the Soviet Union used propaganda and alliances to attempt to gain coveted influence (Parks). The race for space became a symbol of worldly position. There was more at stake in the race for space then reputation. As the two superpowers pitted against one another, the rest of the world had to decide which side they would support. The race for space would “prove” which side was the best pick for a teammate. Winning the race for space would give the winner a clear diplomatic advantage over the loser. This was the real importance of the space race.

History of the Space Race

For hundreds of thousands of years, man has looked up at the moon and asked many questions. The moon has been the source of superstition and awe for centuries, sparking lore and superstition in every culture in the world. The moon is a source of nightly wonder for people of the earth. However, until recently, the idea of going to the moon seemed like fantasy. Now the topic of lunar exploration is no longer outside of reality. It is reality and is the goal of many countries of the world.

The beginning of space exploration began just after World War II when the U.S. And the Soviet Union decided to advance their own missile programs (Aerospace). The launch of the Soviet satellite, Sputnik I signaled man’s first venture into space. Sputnik was a small satellite about the size of a standard beach ball, which orbited the earth. Sputnik was the first orbiting satellite launched from earth (Aerospace). The Sputnik launched October 4, 1957 (Aerospace). Four years later, Russian Lt. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the earth in Vostok I (Aerospace).

It appeared that in the war for technological advancement, the Russians had an early lead. However, this pressure caused the U.S. To increase its efforts. The first U.S. Satellite, Explorer I launched January 31, 1958 (Aerospace). In 1961, Alan Shepard was the first U.S. astronaut to go into space (Aerospace). On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth (Aerospace). Now the two superpowers appeared to be in a neck in neck race for superiority. Every advancement by one was heralded by an advancement by the other.

After the success of the Soviet and U.S. human orbital flights, the thought entered the minds of technical gurus that man would land on the moon and return safely to earth with a decade (Aerospace). This national goal was set by John F, Kennedy in 1961, just shortly after the first successful human orbiting by the Russians. It was the U.S. answer to Soviet superiority in the beginning of the space race. However, for many, this dream still seemed too farfetched to every be a reality.

This is how the U.S. space race went in the early days. There were only two players in the game. Every time one player would make a move and boast of success, the other would answer by promising to perform an even more astounding feat in the future. The U.S. And Soviet Union went on like this for many years.

The United States did not simply leap into space and land on the moon. First came a series of unmanned flights to make certain that they had the technical portion right. These were known as the Saturn Missions, designated SA-1 through SA-10 (Kennedy Space Center). The next phase of development was the unmanned Apollo-Saturn missions (AS-201) through Apollo 6) (Kennedy Space Center). The details of these flights reveal that the trip to the moon was paved with successes and failures. NASA learned from their failures and celebrated their successes. Successes were signs that the United States was one step closer to putting a man on the moon and placed greater pressure on the Soviets to step up efforts.

These early unmanned missions allowed NASA to test emergency systems and every phase of the planned mission. Each mission had a specific objective and represented practice in the procedures that would become the backbone of NASA and the quest for space. Beginning with Apollo 7, missions were manned. Apollo 7 orbited the earth 163 times and was the first time that Americans could experience a broadcast from space (Kennedy Space Center). After this, live television broadcasts from missions became common place. America came to see the astronaut as a hero of the times. The astronaut became much like the comic book superhero. Every little boy wanted to become an astronaut when they grew up. Apollo 7 brought the space program right into American living rooms and they fell in love with it.

The Apollo missions became a symbol of American success and triumph over the enemy. They came to represent more than technological superiority. They became a symbol for the triumph of democracy over communism. With Apollo 9, the missions began to have catchy names attached, such as Gumdrop and Spider (Apollo 9) and Charlie Brown and Snoopy (Apollo 10) (Kennedy Space Center). This endeared them even more in the hearts of the American public.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took the most famous footstep in the history of humankind, fulfilling the promise of JFK, and placing the U.S. In the clear lead in the space race. It was on this day that Neil Armstrong placed the first human footstep on the lunar landscape. Six Apollo missions to explore the moon were made between 1969 and 1972 (Aerospace). This repeated success assured that the U.S. would remain the clear leader, leaving the Soviets in their lunar dust.

America was on a high that reached into outer space. When Apollo 11 (Columbia and Eagle) landed on the moon and proclaimed, “The eagle has landed,” every single American had landed there too, as they huddled around their TV sets. Every American was with the astronauts on that historical day. America was superior. The success continued with Apollo 12 Yankee Clipper and Intrepid) (Kennedy Space Center). America was becoming accustomed to news about successful space missions.

Apollo 13 and Near Disaster

Then with Apollo 13 (Odyssey and Aquarius) tragedy struck that had a similar affect as the Hindenburg Disaster, or the sinking of the Titanic. America was riding high and gaining confidence in their ability to go to the moon and back. This confidence was almost the downfall of the mission.

During pre-flight testing, the No. 2 Oxygen tank demonstrated anomalies and would not empty correctly (Williams). However, officials were confident that this problem was minor, so they decided to go on with the mission as planned. They did not wish to risk the reputation of the program on an incomplete mission. The Apollo mission took off as usual and Americans were once again provided a spectacular view of their greatest heroes flying off into space. However, 56 hours into the mission something went wrong.

On April 14, 1970 Americans could do nothing but watch and pray and their heroes lives were in jeopardy. Some wires shorted in the Number 2 oxygen tank and caused an explosion (Williams). This damaged the number 1 tank and caused pieces of the interior of the service module to blow off (Williams). Attention turned from the lunar expedition to getting the astronauts home safely (Grayzeck). For the next three days Americans held their breath as Engineers tried frantically to get the astronauts home safely. On April 17, 1970, America got their wish and the astronauts retuned home safely. The mission was termed a “successful failure” because although the primary objective was never achieved, the astronauts returned home safely (Grayzeck). This mission taught American the dangers of overconfidence. After this near disaster, NASA revised and tightened preflight testing procedures to make certain that this would not happen again.

After the near disaster of Apollo 13, American needed to get quickly back on the horse and save face. This was necessary to maintain the confidence of the American people and to secure their position as a leader in the space program. Apollo 14 (Kitty Hawk and Antares) the U.S. space program was back on track. American astronauts gathered lunar rocks and brought them back to earth for analysis (Kennedy Space Center). It became an accepted fact that America could go to the moon and bring back rocks. They could do it time and time again with success. The first electric car was used on the moon during the Apollo 14 (Endeavor and Falcon) mission (Kennedy Space Center).

Meanwhile in Russia

While the space program in the United States was busy becoming a popular culture icon, the Russian space program took on a different personality. They still launched missions for “national prestige” (Wade). However, the majority of Soviet missions were for military purposes. The Soviet economy played a major role in space efforts. The soviet economy was planned in five-year increments, with long-range military plans being made for the next ten years (Wade). This significantly affected the pace of space program development. The Russian space plan was slow to react to American successes.

First generation Soviet launchers had poor reliability. The ten-year plan for the second generation was not approved until 1976 (Wade). Third generation plans were approved in 1981, but were revised in reaction to the American “Star Wars” program in 1985 (Wade). Many of the programs under Gorbachev were never implemented (Wade). Government inefficiency was a key hindrance in the Russian space program and a central reason why it never really got off of the ground.

Another key reason for failure was that the Soviets had lofty plans, and many of them. From 1950 to 1960, chief designers proposed plans for probes to the moon, Mars, Venus, space battle stations, and combat space vehicles in earth’s orbit (Wade). First generation systems served as prototypes for second generation systems. First generation systems were developed from 1960 to 1975). Second generation systems were developed from 1970 to 1985) (Wade). First generation systems were never intended to get off the ground, just give them practice for second generation systems. The first flight trials were not conducted until the late 1970s (Wade).

Third generation systems were under development from 1985 to 1990. However, the program disintegrated before the systems were in place. The fall of the Soviet Union was also the fall of the Soviet space program (Wade). It appeared that the race for space was won, at least for the time being. The Apollo missions secured the U.S. As the most technologically advanced nation in the world.

This position gave the impression that the U.S. was an unconquerable force, with superior technology. The goal was to help advance their position in the cold war by psyching the other side into the conclusion that if they could put a man on the moon, they must also have superior weapons technology as well. This was the underlying premise that lay at the root of the quest to conquer space.

Russian and U.S. space program development strategies differed in the manner in their basic philosophies. The Russians had many projects under development at the same time, but it appears that their resources were spread out as well. The U.S. space program picked one goal and poured all of its resources into the project in a concentrated manner. The U.S. space program had a man on the moon within ten years. The Russian plan only had a budget and a few prototypes by then. The Russian program concentrated on military advantage. While the U.S. space program concentrated on business opportunity and the achievement of a reputation for advanced technology. This represented the quest for a psychological advantage over a military one.

The greatest benefit of the space race was the technology that it provided to the world. By the early 1970s, orbiting communication and navigation satellites were common. The Mariner spacecraft began mapping Mars and the Voyager provided earthlings a spectacular view of Jupiter and Saturn (Aerospace). Satellites became an important part of business and everyday, people became accustomed to the lightening communication speed that satellites provided. Earthlings were used to radio waves and television broadcasts by now, but these methods of communication were hindered by line of sight and the curvature of the earth. Satellite eliminated these technical problems and allowed the advancement of global communications.

Fulfilling the promise of putting a man on the moon and bringing him back safely gave the United States a technological edge that remained unchallenged until recently. America and the world benefited from the computer advancements, engineering advancements and communication advancements that arose from this spectacular feat. The world owed the United States gratitude for the gifts of the lunar missions. It seemed, at least for the time being, that the cold war was over and the U.S. was the decided winner.

Since these early days of the U.S. lunar mission, several other countries have followed suit. The United States is not the only one to have its footprint in the dusty lunar surface. Since the U.S. mission, Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan, China, and now, India have sent missions to the moon (CNN.com). The Chinese had a late start into the quest for space, beginning in earnest in the early 1970s. Political turmoil halted the program and hindered its advance. However, a recent testimony before the U.S. Senate indicates that if China is able to succeed with its ambitious plans, it could be the start of an entirely new space race, one in which the U.S. And Russia are behind (Oberg). However, the Chinese space program borrowed much of its technology from Russian and the U.S., a fact that it does not deny (Oberg). The Chinese program is a source of national pride.

India’s mission will have a different goal from other lunar missions. Its intention is to map the lunar landscape to provide information for future missions (CNN.com). The mission is currently slated for two years and will provide a three-dimensional map of the moon. The Indian Lunar module is carrying payloads from the U.S., EU, Germany, Britain, Sweden, and Bulgaria (CNN.com). The purpose of this mission will be to provide a better understanding of the moon than we had on previous missions. This is the next logical step in space exploration. The U.S. And the Soviet Union were the dominant forces in lunar missions in the early days, but this is no longer true. The new focus is on cooperative efforts between the nations. Lunar exploration has lost much of its competitive edge and not represents a more cooperative effort. The U.S. And the Soviet Union are no longer the clear leaders in space exploration.

Where Do We Go from Here?

After the United States landed on the moon, others tried to follow. NASA went on several other quests for space superiority, including the development of the Space Shuttle and the Hubble Telescope. They took place in the International Space station project, but nothing has generated the national frenzy and excitement of the moon landing. It seemed to just stop with the act of getting there.

The moon holds many possibilities for future projects. Some analysts feel that we have only just begun to realize the potential that the moon has to offer. In the future, to simply return will not be enough. The moon represents one of the most lucrative pieces of real estate for 21st century businesses, providing numerous potential streams of income (David). The moon is seen as the first step towards the colonization of Mars (David). The moon holds promise for the travel and tourism industry, mining, and many other fields (David). The moon has already received the cremated remains of noted space geologist Eugene Shoemaker (David). Perhaps in the future, the moon would make a suitable final resting place for many.

These ideas are so real, that some are considering practical considerations in space travel, such as taxation and legislative challenges (Hudgins, p. 195). In Space: The Free-Market Frontier, Hudgins examines space exploration from a business and marketing perspective. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research considers the military use of space to be an immediate, rather than distant concern for the future security of the plant (UNDIR, 14). Their analysis contains preliminary discussions regarding the disposition of space debris, launch notifications, verification procedures, and problems with commercially crowded orbits (UNDIR, p. 14). These discussions highlight the future of the space program.

Aside from the cash potential, the moon holds promise in the ability to track and destroy potentially damaging near-Earth objects (David). Speculators feel that the United States should take the lead on these projects. Recently, NASA has provided an indication that they may wish to reconnect with the moon and its potential (David). Recent efforts have placed importance on visiting Mars, but many feel that this is not realistic and that the moon is a more reasonable target (David). The book, Space Technology, by Joseph Angelo outlines some of these mid-term to distant projects in a fashion that makes them more than a mere possibility in the future. We have come a long way, and it is no longer difficult to imagine these projects becoming a reality in the not so distant future.

The U.S. has successfully been to the moon several times and has accomplished many space shuttle missions. However, one trip hardly makes them an expert. Just because someone can tread water does not make them ready for the high dive. The next logical step would be to make another trip to the moon, one using modern technology and the improvements that have been made since that first mission in 1969. Every moon mission is a learning experience, and one mission, using now outdated technology hardly makes the U.S. An expert. In order to maintain their position as a leader in the space race, the U.S. will have to do more than just cross the finish line once.

Works Cited

Aerospace. A Brief History: Space Exploration. Last Modified: January 21, 2005. http://www.aero.org/education/primers/space/history.html. (Accessed October 30, 2008).

Angleo, J. Space Technology. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. 2003.

CNN.com. India launches first moon mission. October 22, 2008. CNN.com/Technology. http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/10/22/india.space/index.html (Accessed October 29, 2008).

Grayzeck, E. Apollo 13 Command and Service Module (CSM). NSSDC ID: 1970-029A. National Space center Data Center. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1970-029A (Accessed October 29, 2008).

Hudgins, E. The Free-Market Frontier. Washington, DC: Cato Institute. 2002.

Kennedy Space Center. Unmanned Missions. September 28, 2000. Apollo. Kennedy Space Center. http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/sa-10/sa-10.htm (Accessed October 29, 2008).

Leonard, D. Conference: The United States Has Unfinished Business on the Moon. July 23, 2002. Space.com. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/moon_return_020723.html (Accessed October 29, 2009).

Parks, C. NASA’s Legacy: The Quest for the Moon. October 7, 2008. Life Science. http://www.livescience.com/space/081007-nasalegacy-moonquest.html (Accessed October 30, 2008).

United Nations Institute For Disarmament Research (UNDIR) Outer Space and Global Security. Geneva:.UNIDIR. 2003.

Wade, M. Soviet Space History. 2008. Astronautix.com. http://www.astronautix.com/articles/sovstory.htm (Accessed October 29, 2008).

Williams, D. The Apollo 13 Accident. Last Updated October 12, 2008. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/ap13acc.html (Accessed October 29, 2008).

---

Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply

 

Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?

Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.

Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?

• Plagiarism free papers
• Timely delivery
• Any deadline
• Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
• Subject-relevant academic writer
• Adherence to paper instructions
• Ability to tackle bulk assignments
• Reasonable prices
• 24/7 Customer Support
• Get superb grades consistently

Online Academic Help With Different Subjects

Literature

Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.

Finance

Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.

Computer science

Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!

Psychology

While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.

Engineering

Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.

Nursing

In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.

Sociology

Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.

Business

We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!

Statistics

We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.

Law

Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.

What discipline/subjects do you deal in?

We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.

Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?

Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor’s, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.

What if I don’t like the paper?

There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.

Reasons being:

• When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
• We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.

In the event that you don’t like your paper:

• The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
• We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
• Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.

Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?

Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.

What if the paper is plagiarized?

We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.

When will I get my paper?

You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.

Will anyone find out that I used your services?

We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.

How our Assignment  Help Service Works

1.      Place an order

You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.

2.      Pay for the order

Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.

3.      Track the progress

You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.

4.      Download the paper

The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.

PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!

---

The post The Cold War and the Conquest of Space Thesis appeared first on Assignment Dealer.

Online assignment writing service website that provide students with original and unique academic essays, research proposals, research papers, term papers, movie reviews, Book reviews, scholarship essays, personal statements, projects, presentations, dissertation, theses, admission essays, annotated bibliographies, reports, application papers, among others.

Stuck on a homework question? Our verified assignment writers can answer all questions, from basic math to advanced rocket science!