Grades: 6th-12th
Space Race
Program Length: 80
The Soviet Union’s launch of the Sputnik satellite in 1957 sparked the space race, a competitive and groundbreaking period in human history. In this interactive program, students dive into the history of this technological competition by analyzing primary sources related to the space race’s key events. As they race to piece together an accurate timeline of major milestones, students also get hands-on with a STEM challenge. They design, create, and launch their own straw rockets, applying engineering principles and problem-solving skills. This program immerses students in both the history and the science behind one of the most exciting periods in the U.S.-Soviet rivalry.
Related Primary Sources
- Bureau of the Budget Recommends Eisenhower Approve Legislation Establishing NASA (1958)
- Eisenhower Administration Debates Civilian and Military Control of U.S. Space Programs Before the Creation of NASA (1958)
- Eisenhower Administration Plans NASA’s Creation and Debates Which Military Space Programs Should Become Civilian (1958)
- Eisenhower and Advisers Plan a Civilian Space Agency and Define NASA’s Relationship with the Military (1958)
- Eisenhower and Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson Reach Agreement on Space Agency and Defense Reorganization Legislation (1958)
- Eisenhower Praises NASA’s Achievements and Outlines the Future of American Space Exploration (1960)
- Eisenhower Signs the National Aeronautics and Space Act Establishing NASA (1958)
- Letter from Dr. Glennan to President Eisenhower
- Memorandum on the Organization of U.S. Space Activities & NASA (1959)
- President Eisenhower’s Press Conference Following the Launch of Sputnik (1957)
- Science Adviser James Killian Assesses U.S. Missile Development and Satellite Programs After Sputnik (1957)
- Science Adviser James Killian Reports to Eisenhower on Early U.S. Satellite Discoveries and the Hazards of Space Travel (1958)
- Space Race, 1958 Launching America’s Era of Space Exploration
- White House Memoranda on Coordinating U.S. Military Satellite and Space Operations (1959)
- White House Memorandum Advocating Increased Funding for NASA’s 1961 Space Program (1959)
Bring History to Life
Join us for engaging learning experiences designed for young minds.
