TED-ED: Who won the space race? - Jeff Steers

The video discusses the space race between the US and USSR, starting with the launch of Sputnik in 1957. It covers key events like the US's Vanguard failure, the successful launch of Explorer, and human spaceflight milestones with Yuri Gagarin and John Glenn. The US aimed to surpass the USSR by landing a man on the moon, achieved in 1969 with Apollo. The space race ended in 1975 with the Apollo-Soyuz mission, marking a shift to cooperation. The space race spurred technological and educational advancements, benefiting civilian life.

What event marked the beginning of the space race between the US and USSR?

• The launch of the V-2 rocket

• The launch of Sputnik

• The Apollo-Soyuz mission

• The launch of Explorer 1

What was the main concern about the technology used to launch Sputnik?

• It was developed by German scientists

• It was not reliable for long-distance travel

• It was too expensive to maintain

• It could be used to launch nuclear warheads

Which US satellite launch was considered a failure and an embarrassment?

• Mercury-Redstone 3

• Vanguard TV 3

• Apollo 11

• Explorer 1

Who was the first human to travel into space?

• Neil Armstrong

• John Glenn

• Yuri Gagarin

• Buzz Aldrin

What was one of the significant outcomes of the space race in terms of technology?

• Advancements in civilian technologies like memory foam and GPS

• Development of nuclear weapons

• Increased military spending

• Discovery of new planets