During his acceptance speech for his nomination of presidency, President John F. Kennedy called on Americans to be "new pioneers" and explore the "uncharted areas of science and space." Kennedy's speech was sparked by the achievement of the Soviet Union. On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin became the first human in space. This caused surprise and displeasure for the American citizens, since the Soviet Union is catching up to the United States' level of technology. However, Kennedy viewed this achievement as a challenge for the Americans to overcome. In fact, the president wanted to surpass the challenge and pursue an even greater feat: land on the moon.
Many things were done to expand the space program in the United States. Universities expanded their science programs while space-related industries sprang up in Southern and Western states. Less than a month after Yuri A. Gagarin's journey, the United States also went into space. Later, a communications satellite named Telstar released pictures of the Atlantic Ocean for the public to view. NASA also constructed new launch facilities in Florida and a mission control center in Houston, Texas. Finally, on July 20, 1969, Kennedy's goal was achieved. Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon. After this achievement, America's pride and prestige has been restored.
- Angela
1 comment:
I like how your posting was some what patriotic. There was great info that helped me understand more of how the US got to the moon. Good job.
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