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Background to the First Moon Landing

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 8mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

After World War II the "space race" was part of the cold war rivalry that developed between what two countries?

a)

Germany

b)

Capitalist USA

c)

England

d)

Communist USSR

2.

The USA and USSR believed that if there was to be a war between the two countries ...who would win?

a)

the country with the most soldiers

b)

the country with the best military technology

c)

the country with the best economic policies

3.

Who was winning the Space Race to begin with?

a)

USSR

b)

US

4.

To begin with the US was winning the Space Race because they had developed what? (Choose 2 answers)

a)

the Atomic Bomb

b)

the Hydrogen Bomb

c)

the V-2 technology

5.

US Rocket technology was also more advanced than the USSR at first because they had the expertise of who?

a)

Russian spies

b)

German Nazi Scientists

c)

Russian communists

d)

none of these

6.

The US aquired the former Nazi scientist named...

a)

Adolf von Braun

b)

Eva von Braun

c)

Werner von Braun

7.

On October 4th 1957, USSR launched the first satellite to orbit the earth called....

a)

Spalnik 1

b)

Sputnik 1

c)

Laika 1

8.

How did the US react to the USSR launching the first satelite?

a)

they were chuffed for them

b)

they were disappointed in them

c)

they were shocked and panic set in

9.

Sputnik 1 had been launched by the USSR using what technology...

a)

V-2 technology

b)

ICBM - intercontinental Ballistic Missile

10.

If Russia could fire a satellite into space, the US was afriad the Russians could fire a nuclear missile at the US!

a)

True

b)

False

11.

One month after Sputnik 1, what animal did the USSR send to space?

a)

a cat

b)

a fish

c)

a dog called Laika

d)

a monkey

12.

The belief of US leaders that they were behind the USSR in their technological developments was known as

a)

the cold war

b)

the missile gap

c)

an ICBM

13.

How did America's first attempt to send a rocket into space end?

a)

great success

b)

huge failure ..and on live TV!

14.

Which of the following nicknames did the US media use to make fun of the US attempt to send a rocket into space? (choose 3)

a)

'youdiditnik'

b)

'flopnik'

c)

'kaputnik'

d)

'stayputnik'

15.

The US eventually launched its first satellite in 1958. What was it called?

a)

Lunar 1

b)

Explorer

c)

Command 1