Journey · 2 stops
From a single beeping aluminium sphere to telescopes that read the first light of the universe. The journey from Sputnik to the James Webb — a contest of nations that became a project of humankind.
01Step 1 of 2
1957The Soviets got to space first. America panicked.
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, an 84-kilogram satellite, into orbit from Kazakhstan. For the first time, a human-made object circled the Earth. The achievement shocked the Western world and triggered the Space Race, setting off a competition between superpowers that would define the next fifteen years and reshape global politics, education, and technology.
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Sputnik's orbital success provoked direct American commitment to the Moon race; President Kennedy explicitly framed Apollo 11 (July 1969) as response to Soviet space dominance initiated by Sputnik (October 1957).
02Step 2 of 2
1969An eight-day round trip to a place no human had ever stood — broadcast live to a fifth of humanity
On July 20, 1969, the Lunar Module Eagle touched down in the Sea of Tranquility, and Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on another world. About 650 million people watched live — roughly a fifth of humanity. The Cold War space race ended that night.
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