The Race in Space

On July 20th, 1969, Niel Armstrong would take the first steps onto the moon. This was a monumental achievement, not only for the United States, but for humanity has a whole. Finally, we had reached our goal of interplanetary exploration, and although the moon is just one small step of many, it is a launching point for exploration in space.
These few steps on the moon were the result of more than seven years of diligent work. The whole situation began with the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin, the first human in space. For years, Soviet Russia had been working on sending a man into space, and finally achieved this goal on April 12, 1961. Frightened by the possibility of the Soviets gaining an edge on us, President Kennedy vowed that America would be the first country with a man on the moon. In less than a month, the US also had a man travel into space. Following the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the United States dedicated a lot of time and money in reaching its goal of having a man skip around on the moon. It would be more than seven years until this goal would be accomplished.
The impact of this historic event can still be felt today in our technology and in our schools. Most of our wireless technology stems from the use of satellites and super-orbital spacecraft, and there is endless possibility for technological and economic expansion among the stars. Also, following the massive federal funding for research and space development, many schools and universities expanded their science curriculum immensely. The steps of one man are followed by years of international cooperation, the growth of business and renewed excitement in the sciences in the schools of America.

-Holt Bowmer