Sputnik Competition
April 7, 2008 | By Raymond T. Hightower
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world’s first man-made satellite, on October 4, 1957. Gripped by fear of an impending attack, the U. S. government immediately increased spending on scientific research, education, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and (indirectly) the Internet.
Competition Breeds Excellence
The launch of Sputnik in October 1957 proved that competition breeds excellence. Sputnik Mania, a documentary by David Hoffman, explores the history of Sputnik and the scientific progress that resulted from the launch. The following is a four-minute excerpt from the documentary.
Would we have been as driven to excel in science without competition from Sputnik? How did the launch of Sputnik affect the lives of pioneers like Burt Rutan?