"CHANGING HISTORY & MARKING START OF SPACE RACE"

 SOVIETS LAUNCH WORLD'S FIRST ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE

Moscow (JFK+50) On October 4, 1957. the Soviet Union launched 'Sputnik I'*, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.

Sputnik, about the size of a beach ball and weighing 183.9 pounds, traveled at a speed of 18,000 mph with each orbit lasting 96.2 minutes.

Soviet news agency TASS reported...

"As a result of great intense work of scientific institutes and design bureaus, the first artificial satellite has been built."

NASA describes the event as one that changed history and marked the beginning of the space age.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was not surprised by the Soviet announcement, but he was taken aback by the reaction of shock by the citizens of his nation.  Americans could not believe the Russians were so far ahead of us.

*Sputnik would go on to complete 1,440 orbits before ending its service on January 4, 1958.

JFK+50 NOTE

The United States launched its first artificial satellite, Explorer I, on January 31, 1958.  The Sputnik launch, according to NASA, "led directly" to the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, October 1, 1958.

On November 28, 1959, Senator John F. Kennedy said..."It's not too late, these spectacular Russian gains have awakened us from our sleep.  I think we can close the gaps and pull ahead."

During the 1960 presidential campaign, JFK emphasized the U.S. was behind in the space race.  He said, "I believe in an America that is not first but, first if, but first PERIOD!"  The rest is history!

SOURCES

"Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy, Democratic Dinner, Denver, Colorado, November 28, 1959, JFK Library, www.jfklibrary.org/

"Soviets Launch First Man Made Satellite," JFK+50, October 4, 2011, www.jfk50.blogspot.com/

"Sputnik and The Dawn of the Space Age," NASA, www.nasa.gov/

Sputnik I

Photo by Andrew Butko

Museum of Cosmonautics & Rocket Technology

2008

CC BY SA 3.0

"FAILURE TO MAKE EFFORT WILL MAKE US LAST"

JFK SETS GOAL OF LANDING MAN ON MOON IN THIS DECADE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy set the goal of the United States of America landing a man on the moon "before this decade is out."

The President's initiative was part of his address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol here in Washington.  JFK referred to it as his "second State of the Union message."

President Kennedy said...

"Now it is time for this nation to take...a leading role in space achievement."

JFK admitted that the USA was currently behind of the USSR in the space race* and offered no guarantee that we would overtake them. Nevertheless, the President declared...

"Any failure to make this effort will make us last."

space race (1955-1975) competition between the United States & the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to achieve superiority in spaceflight capability.

JFK+50 NOTE

Twelve men have landed on the Moon (1969-1972) with Neil Armstrong being the first on July 20, 1969.  The United States is the only nation to have conducted successful manned missions to the Moon.  

SOURCE

"May 25, 1961," JFK's Moon Shot Speech to Congress," www.space.com/

   

 

Surface of Moon from Lunar Module Orion

April 1972

Photo by John Young

NASA

"WE ARE BEHIND NOW, BUT IF WE MAKE A MAJOR EFFORT...."

JFK SAYS USA WILL BEAT RUSSIANS TO THE MOON

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Senator John F. Kennedy, during his campaign for the Presidency in 1960, said that America should be "first, not if or when, but first period."

On April 3, 1963, President Kennedy was asked at his afternoon televised news conference if the United States would be first in space and "beat the Russians to the moon".

JFK answered by reminding the reporters that the United States would not get..."our new boosters until 1964, 1965 and 1966" and that "we'll have to wait and see".

The President did express optimism, however, that his goals in space could be accomplished...

"We are behind now and we will continue to be behind, but if we make a major effort, we have a chance, I believe, to be ahead at the end of this decade and that is where I think we ought to be."

FLY ME TO THE MOON

JFK+50:  Volume 5, No. 1933

JFK GOT LBJ'S EVALUATION OF U.S. SPACE PROGRAM 55 YEARS AGO 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Fifty-five years ago, April 28, 1961, Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson sent John F. Kennedy a memorandum, in response to the President's request of April 20th, asking for an up-to-date evaluation of the United States' space program.

Following are a few of the points the Vice-President made in the memo...

*The Soviets were ahead of the USA in the space race because of "their concentrated effort and earlier emphasis on the development of large rocket engines."

*US had failed to make "hard decisions" to achieve leadership in space

*Space achievement was a major indication of a nation's world leadership.  Other nations would follow the lead of the nation that was the leader in the space race. 

*US leadership in space was achievable.

*Manned exploration of the moon was an "essential" objective.

The sources the Vice-President used for this memo included the Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, and Dr. Wernher von Braun of NASA.

Also, in response to JFK's questions, LBJ answers...

*We can beat the Soviets to the moon by 1966 or 1967.  Manned exploration of the moon would be of "great propaganda value" to the United states.

*It will cost $1,000,000,000 a year for 10 years.

SOURCE

"Memorandum from Vice-President Johnson to President Kennedy on the Space Program," www.jfklibrary.org/

Wernher von Braun

Director of Marshall Space Flight Center

May 1, 1964

NASA Photo