The Cold War: Technological Advancements

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into space on October 4, 1957.

John Glenn became the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962.

The Soviet Union sent Yuri Gagarin into space on April 12, 1961, making him the first human to travel into space.

Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969.

The United States developed the first hydrogen bomb, codenamed Ivy Mike, which was detonated on November 1, 1952.

The R-7 Semyorka was the Soviet Union's first ICBM, successfully tested in August 1957.

The United States developed the first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, which was launched in January 1954.

Explorer 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite launched by the United States on January 31, 1958.

The Soviet Union developed the first supersonic passenger airliner, the Tupolev Tu-144, which first flew in December 1968.

Project Apollo was the American space program that landed astronauts on the moon between 1969 and 1972.

The Soviet Union developed the first operational ABM system, the A-35, which was deployed around Moscow in the early 1970s.

Skylab was the American space station that was launched in 1973 and operated until 1979.

The United States developed the first stealth aircraft, the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, which first flew in 1981.

Buran was the Soviet Union's space shuttle program, which was developed in the 1980s but never flew in space.

The United States developed the first GPS, which became fully operational in 1995.