1. The Space Race
The Russians launched the world’s first artificial satellite,
Sputnik I, on October 4, 1957. Next, Sputnik 2, carrying a dog
called Laika, went up into space on November 3. The Americans
launched Explore I, on January 31, 1958. The Americans won the
race to land on the moon more than ten years later – with Apollo
11 on July 20, 1969. “This is one small step for a man, one giant
leap for mankind,” said astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first person
to walk on the moon. Space exploration has continued since then,
and has brought new discoveries in many different areas of
science.