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Space Race Essay

2460 Words10 Pages

Introduction The Cold War era was characterized by the intense competition between the US and the Soviet Union, specifically in space exploration. The Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik in 1957 marked the start of this race, which shocked the Americans. Back then, a manned Moon landing was the ultimate prize of this technological competition. The story of this intense competition is well known. Eventually, the US won the first Space race by successfully completing the first manned mission (Apollo 11) on the Moon’s surface in 1969. The world has changed tremendously since then. The Soviet Union collapsed leaving the US as the only global superpower. However, the Pax Americana era has ended due to the rise of a new power in the East which openly challenges the US dominance: China. The United States has been the dominant power in space since the collapse of the Soviet Union, but Russia and China, with their own history and presence in space, are trying to surpass the US technologically. In this regard, the new Space Race is first and foremost a technological competition …show more content…

Space competition will take years to be fully developed, and the economic impact of space will continue to increase as human presence in space expands (along with the dangers of space debris). Given the crucial importance of space for US interests and national security, it is inevitable for strategists across the globe to prioritize space in the years to come. Space is the final frontier for humankind, with endless possibilities for development, and our lives in the globalized era heavily depend on it. Therefore, it is important for the great powers of the international system to seek the upper hand in space technology to ensure their interests and protect their national

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