logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2022
40m 4s

Start of the Space Race

History Hit
About this episode

Space historian Jay Gallentine tells Don how World War 2 weapons paved the way for space rockets, igniting a space race between the USA and the USSR that would see the first projectiles, satellites and people leave Earth’s atmosphere.


Produced by Benjie Guy. Mixed by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.


For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.


If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 15
The Boston Courthouse Bombing
On April 22, 1976 a bomb went off at Suffolk County Courthouse in Boston. 22 people were injured in the blast, but no one was ever tried for the crime.Kevin Galvin joins Don today to explore who bombed the courthouse, why they did it, and who was caught up in it.Kevin has been a ... Show More
32m 39s
Oct 12
Life Down a California Goldmine
In 1848, James Marshall's discovery of gold in California's American River kicked off one of the biggest Gold Rushes in U.S. history. But what was life really like in California's Gold Fields? Who was actually making money? And how did gold fever shape a nation?Our guest today is ... Show More
54m 43s
Oct 8
Fur Trapping, Empire & the Hudson’s Bay Company
Did you know that almost 40% of the land that is now Canada was once owned by a single commercial company?The Hudson's Bay Company surrendered this area for the sum of £300,000 in 1869. But how did they come to control it? What was life like for fur traders in North America? And ... Show More
43m 13s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
The Space Race
Humanity has always looked to the heavens, pondering what is really out there. But how did space travel turn from fantasy into reality? In the aftermath of World War Two, a group of scientists from Nazi Germany arrives in the United States. Their task? To kickstart America's spac ... Show More
52m 57s
Apr 2020
The Space Race
Join host Greg Jenner as he skyrockets back to the 20th century for a homeschool history lesson on the space race. From ancient Assyrian astrology to modern spacecraft, we explore how superpowers Russia (Team USSR) and America (Team USA) raced each other into space, aiming to be ... Show More
14m 56s
May 2018
The Space Race | Starting Gun | 1
Remember Werner von Braun? We talked a little bit about him in our Cold War series. He was in charge of the German rocket program in World War II. First used to lob missiles and bombs all over Europe, von Braun always dreamed of something better for his rockets. As the Soviet and ... Show More
38m 27s
Sep 2024
312. The Space Race (English Vocabulary Lesson)
SEND7 Podcast - https://www.send7.org/ Beginning in the late 1950s, the USA and USSR began an intense competition to reach outer space. The Space Race, as it became known, led to technological achievements and milestones in human history. Today, let’s discuss the space race, th ... Show More
23m 30s
Mar 2022
Sputnik
Book your tickets now to come see us at the DS Podcast Festival Friday 1st April in Ostend, Belgium: https://www.universe.com/users/de-standaard-4NZ5BV, and buy your Damp Cloth Utopia merch at spreadthatfire.com. The 4th October 1957 was a big day. The space race had been won. Th ... Show More
42m 16s
Oct 2018
KP15: سباق الفضاء - الجزء الاول
وصول الانسان الى القمر سبقته احداث و سباق تسلح بين الامم ، و في هذه الحلقة نتعرف على منشأ فكرة الصاروخ و انتقالها من الصين الى العرب و اوروبا و نعرف العلماء و الدور الذي لعبته الحروب العالمية بتطور علم الصواريخ. 
24m 16s
Oct 2021
The Moon Landing
After multiple coups by the Soviet Union, astronaut Alan B. Shepard has just become the first American in space. But this is only the beginning. Now, NASA have the moon in their sights, but it's still a long way off. For either the USA or the USSR to succeed, they'll need newer a ... Show More
56m 27s
Jun 2020
Encore: The Space Race | Photo Finish | 4
JFK said that nothing in the 1960s was "...more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space..." than getting a man to the moon and back safely. As the Apollo 11 flight neared, the entire nation waited, enraptured. But back in the USSR, the Sov ... Show More
39m 45s
Mar 2025
The history of space travel
Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. This week we’re looking at the history of space travel, including the 60th anniversary of the first ever space-walk by Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. Also, the speech that woul ... Show More
51m 8s
Apr 2011
TechStuff Tackles the StarWars Program
<p>In this episode, the guys hop into the WayBack machine and travel to October 4th, 1967 -- the date of the of the Sputnik launch -- and trace the growth of the Cold War space race, which eventually led to the Star Wars program. Tune in to learn more.</p><p> </p> Learn more abou ... Show More
39m 55s