The Space Race ..... What it meant and what it should be

Starting in the 1930's the Nazi war machine was looking for a way to use rockets as a means to improve on long range artillery, in such a way as to not violate the Treaty of Versailles. According to the treaty, the Germans could not conduct research on long range cannons, nor could they develop such cannons, rockets however were never mentioned in the treaty, thus research began to find ways to enhance the strength and capabilities of the German forces so drastically reduced by the standards of the treaty. Eventually the research and development created the V2 rocket which was used to bombard England. It was fast, very fast and could barely be seen by radar, it was also used as a weapon to create terror on the British people and in part in that particular vane was successful. Thus the space race was born.
                                                                              The Space race in it's infancy was more about weapon superiority than anything else. Rockets that carried bombs.The United States for the first few years after the war was the sole nation on Earth to have atomic weapons, the Soviets although a former ally feared the status of a sole superpower, who had bases and weapons near the Soviet Union. The Soviets had acquired technology and scientists from Germany as did the United States, but most of those scientists were sent to the United States, the Soviets began to work immediately on the designs the Nazi's had created, and worked feverishly to improve on those designs, as they saw it for the defense of the Motherland, never trusting the intentions of the United States.
                                                                                       The Soviets developed the R-7 rocket which was used to launch Sputnik the very first satellite put into earth orbit, it was a simple radio transponder that could be heard on shortwave radios as it revolved around the earth. The race to space was still more about missiles and carrying nuclear weapons, than communications or cameras which could be used for spying. Somewhere in the back of the minds of the various engineers though was the notion of putting a human being into space. It was the dream of these engineers to allow man to travel thru the stars and to explore the universe.

                                                                                            The technology of today allows for more than placing humans into orbit around our planet, we have travelled to the moon, landed there and even brought back samples of the soil. We have sent probes to Mars, and have even sent probes beyond our universe. To explore that which is beyond our tiny little globe. What we need is the courage to challenge ourselves. Our only knowledge of the universe is that which we can see with a telescope, or at night with the naked eye. Space as far as we know is infinite. But that is only what we know. To solve the problems needed to master the complexities of long range space travel would require immense study and mastery of a whole range of issues including health, energy, time, mechanical, environmental problems that would appear during long range travel whether it be to Mars, or beyond the effort should be a global approach, utilizing the very best of the Human race. A cooperative approach in engineering, finance, technology. Putting our resources to their best use for a common goal, for a common people. Given our history as a people we have accomplished a lot as it pertains to flight, and travel into space, but our imagination is limitless. Thus our ability is limitless. For all the goals we have achieved, the goals that we have not are just waiting for us to reach them.

                                                                                   The United States and it's people have always been a catalyst for change, let the change begin here in our hearts, let us vow to change the way we think of Space, and where we shall go. Let it be the United States and it's people that initiated the effort that leads an entire people in to a great leap, that will transform travel, energy, communication, all the complexities that are inherent in travel into space are complexities that we face here on Earth. It is the frontier of our time. It is the frontier of our future. Space is indeed, the new frontier.