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Eric S. Boyles, Mark Largent, Sally Gregory Kohlstedt, Olivia Walling Copyright © 1998 Program in History of Science and Technology University of Minnesota All Rights Reserved |
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This assignment encourages you to explore the complex and fascinating history of the space race between the United States of America and the Soviet Union. Your objective is to acquire a rich understanding of the social, technological, scientific and political dimensions of this international contest between two super powers during the Cold War. There is no single "narrative" for the early exploration of space, and this assignment presents several interconnected narratives that describe scientific, organizational, and political change. You may wish to take occasional notes as you progress through this assignment. There is no time limit for this assignment. You are encouraged to explore a complex web of information and images, and draw your own conclusions. At the end of the assignment you will be asked to write a short essay.
Scientific/philosophical interest in space and celestial objects goes back to the dawn of
civilization. Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek astrologers and philosophers
made careful observations of constellations, the movement of the sun and moon, and
other astronomical phenomena. During the Scientific Revolution of the 17th
century the traditional observational astronomy of Galileo (1564-1642) and
Kepler (1571-1630) was combined with new insights into the physical processes
behind astronomical events, as described by Newton (1643-1727).
Newton's conclusions about the universal presence
of gravitational forces revealed an intriguing possibility of
leaving the earth and venturing out into the solar system and beyond.
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