The Space Race (AQA GCSE History) : Revision Note
How did the Space Race increase Cold War tensions? - Timeline & Summary
The Space Race increased Cold War tensions because it became a way for the USA and Soviet Union to compete for power.
The USSR’s early successes with Sputnik (1957) and Yuri Gagarin (1961) shocked the USA and made it fear that the Soviets were ahead in technology and missile power. This rivalry deepened mistrust and made both sides more determined to prove their strength. In response, the USA increased its spending and aimed to win the race by landing a man on the Moon, which it achieved with Apollo 11 in 1969.
However, by the 1970s, the Space Race began to slow down which eased tensions. In 1975, the Apollo–Soyuz mission showed cooperation between American and Soviet astronauts in space. This marked the start of détente, where both sides began working together more and reducing hostility.
Although the early Space Race increased tension, it later became an opportunity for diplomacy and scientific partnership between East and West.
Causes of the Space Race
Cold War rivalry
The USA and the USSR were already competing to prove if capitalism or communism was more powerful
Space became a new area where both superpowers wanted to show off their:
technological strength
Space technology allowed both countries to show off their science, technology, and innovation
ideological superiority
Success in space would prove that their education systems and economies were more successful and modern
The Arms Race
The Space Race was closely linked to the arms race
The rockets used to launch satellites and astronauts were based on missile technology
Success in space showed a country could also launch long-range nuclear weapons
Therefore, progress in space was a sign of a country's military power
USSR's early domination of the Space Race
The Soviet Union took a clear lead in the Space Race,
This shocked the world and embarrassed the USA
These successes helped the USSR argue that communism could match, or even beat, capitalism in science and technology
Sputnik
On 4th October 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 1
This was the first manmade satellite to orbit the Earth
Sputnik was a major breakthrough and a huge propaganda victory for the Soviet Union
US reaction to Sputnik
On 18th December 1958, the USA successfully launched Project SCORE, its first communications satellite, into space
Laika
In November 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 2, carrying a dog named Laika
Laika was the first living creature in space
Although Laika died a few hours after launch, it helped prepare for sending a human into space
US reaction to Laika
In 1959, the USA sent two monkeys, Able and Miss Baker, into space
They were the first animals to survive space travel and return safely to Earth
Yuri Gagarin
On 12th April 1961, Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space
He completed one orbit of Earth in the Vostok 1 spacecraft and returned safely
This was another massive Soviet success
Gagarin became a national hero
It encouraged the Soviet Union to send more people to space
In 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first female astronaut to go to space
US reaction to Yuri Gagarin
On 5th May 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American astronaut to complete a successful space flight, piloting the spacecraft himself
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Students often struggle with the amount of dates and people in the Space Race to remember.
You can use the timeline at the start of the revision note to help you. Another revision method is Snap!:
Write the key names/events on post-it notes or pieces of paper in the same colour
Write the key dates on different coloured post-it notes or pieces of paper
Shuffle the post-it notes/paper and turn them upside down on a flat surface
Play 'Snap!' by yourself or with a study partner. When you turn up two pieces of information that connect together, say 'Snap!' to earn a point. If the event and date do not match, turn them upside again. Do this until all of the events have been match to their correct date
The Moon landings, 1969
The Moon landings were a turning point in the Space Race
They marked a major victory for the USA after years of Soviet success in space
Kennedy’s announcement
In May 1961, US President John F. Kennedy made a speech to Congress promising:
…this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.
This speech came shortly after the USSR’s success with Yuri Gagarin
It gave the USA a clear goal and boosted investment in NASA and space technology
Neil Armstrong and the Moon Landing (1969)
On 20th July 1969, the USA successfully completed the Apollo 11 mission
Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the Moon
He was followed by Buzz Aldrin, while Michael Collins remained in orbit
Around 600 million people watched Armstrong's first steps on the moon
At the time, that was the largest TV audience in history
Armstrong famously said:
“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
USSR reaction to the Moon landings
The USSR did not criticise the Moon landings openly, but they had clearly lost this stage of the Space Race
The USSR had:
never landed a astronaut on the Moon
failed to match the scale and publicity of Apollo 11
After this, the Space Race began to slow down
The focus started to shift towards US–Soviet cooperation
The Apollo-Soyuz Mission
What was the Apollo–Soyuz mission?
A joint space mission between:
the USA (Apollo spacecraft)
the USSR (Soyuz spacecraft)
The mission took place in July 1975
It was the first international crewed space mission which aimed to:
show cooperation between the USA and the USSR in space, after decades of competition
test docking systems between American and Soviet spacecraft
begin scientific collaboration and build trust between the superpowers
What happened during the Apollo–Soyuz mission?
The two spacecraft successfully docked in space on 17th July 1975
American astronaut Thomas Stafford and Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov shook hands in space
This was a powerful symbol of peace
The crews conducted joint experiments
They spent 44 hours connected before separating
Impact of the Apollo–Soyuz mission to US-Soviet relations
The Apollo-Soyuz mission marked the end of the Space Race
It was the beginning of US–Soviet space cooperation
The mission showed that the USA and USSR could work together peacefully, even during the Cold War
Apollo-Soyuz created a basis for future joint space missions, including the International Space Station (ISS) in 1998
Worked Example
Source A is critical of the United States. How do you know?
[4 marks]
Source A: A cartoon by Thomas Flannery, published in the Baltimore Sun, 8th October 1957
Answer:
Source A is critical of the United States because of the content. It shows a Soviet satellite with the communist symbol flying high above the Earth, while a US plane labelled “USA Complacency” flies much lower. The Americans in the plane are surprised and confused, with one saying, “Our technical superiority will triumph in the—WHAT IS THAT?” (1). This shows that the USA was overconfident and unprepared, while the USSR had already taken the lead. The height of the satellite compared to the plane suggests that the US had fallen behind, which would have been alarming for the American public during the Cold War (1).
The source is also critical because of the provenance. It was published in an American newspaper just after the USSR launched Sputnik in October 1957 (1). This was the start of the Space Race, and the USSR's success shocked the USA. Many Americans feared that Soviet technology was more advanced. This fear led to increased US spending on science, defence, and education to catch up in the Space Race (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You must use the provenance of the provided source to answer the 4-mark “How do you know” question.
The provenance usually tells you:
who created the source
what type of source it is, for example, a newspaper article
when the source was made
where the source was created
For the example question, here is a breakdown of the provenance of Source A:
Who | Thomas Flannery, an American cartoonist |
|---|---|
What | A cartoon on the launch of Sputnik (Space Race) |
When | 1957 |
Where | The USA |
For further guidance on this question, you can read this revision note on how to answer the 4-mark “How do you know” question.
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