Monday, February 8, 2016

Who won the space race?

There's a new BBC documentary titled: "Cosmonauts: How Russia Won the Space Race." Thought I'd present my own view/argument on this issue.  Here are some important accomplishments:

                                   First rocket into space: German V-2

Russian firsts:                                                              U.S. firsts:

First I.C.B.M., R-7                                 First satellite recovered from orbit, Discoverer
First earth satellite                                             First orbital docking
First moon probes                                              First men to orbit moon
First planetary probes                                        First men to land on moon
First man in space, Vostok                                Robotic exploration of Mars
First soft landing on moon                                Robots probe outer planets
First animals around moon and back safely      Robots out of solar system
Robotic exploration of Venus                           Sample return from comet
First space station                                              Reusable spacecraft
First permanently manned space station

It looks like a tie to me! Both sides have much to be proud of. There is no need to belittle one another.

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