THE space race between the United States and the Soviet Union that started in the ‘50s was intense. Both nations not only wanted to influence world politics then but also wanted to show superiority in conquering space.
The Russians were steps ahead of the Americans. With the launching of the world’s first satellite, Sputnik, by the Russians in 1957, the American played catch up. Yuri Gagarin was the first human to leave the planet and go into orbit. Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to fly into space. Alexel Leonov was the first man to float in space.
If not for the declaration by President John F. Kennedy for the US to put a man on the moon before the ‘60s ended, the Americans would have not achieved a goal that the Russians can lay no claim. That the film, “First Man,” which was about astronaut Neil Armstrong, did not become a box-office hit was partly due to director Damien Chazelle’s failure to highlight the planting of the American flag on the moon. The well-crafted film was not just about the pioneering adventure to the moon but was also about the emotional journey of Armstrong, who had lost a daughter at the beginning his career with NASA, as well as of his colleagues who died along the way.
The cost for both the US and the Soviet Union in putting all the missions must have been staggering. While we know about the successes, there were many failures and deaths, as well, that were kept confidential.
The true winner of the space race was mankind. While there may be current tensions between the US and Russia, the International Space Station (ISS) is the symbol of unity among nations. It is funded by the US, Russia, Japan, Canada and the European Union. With the depreciation of the ISS, there is talk about the US and Russia collaborating on a replacement to ISS.
Just to show that the space race has long ended, the Russians have left the exploration of Mars to the Americans while they aim to put a cosmonaut on the Moon by 2030, which should lead to the construction of the Zvezda moon base. The difference in the approaches of the US and Russia is that the former has shifted the initiative to private entities while that of Russia remains to be state-funded. The most publicized program on the colonization of Mars is that of Elon Musk, whose SpaceX will send cargo flights to the Red Planet by 2022, and a manned flight in 2024.
The technological advancement in recent years has contributed to the revived interest in space exploration. We find in ourselves the pioneering spirits of Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan as we look at the moon and stars with curiosity. But then let us listen to the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, when he said: “Looking at the earth from afar you realize it is too small for conflict and just big enough for cooperation.”