the Space Race

Americans engaged in the Space Race because we wanted to prove that our technology was superior or equivalent to that of the Soviet Union. Being at war with the USSR, Americans on the home front were very concerned with the advancements in Soviet technology. Some of this new technology involved missiles and their launching. The Russians were the first to launch a satellite; Sputnik. Many believed that if the Soviets were able to launch a piece of equipment into orbit, the satellite would be able to spy on them, or drop bombs on them from outer space. The fact that the Americans did not have that same technology was a major concern. Another major concern was the Arms Race; the USSR was believed that have many nuclear bombs - how many it was not certain. If ever the Soviet Union and America were to attack each other outright, the Americans would need to have as many or more nuclear weapons than the Russians. The space race was said to have started "not because it is easy, but because it is hard," as Kennedy said it. The Americans needed to keep up the prestige of their country in order to maintain the morale of its citizens.
I believe it is important to continue to study the world and space around us; even if it is millions of miles away. It is against human nature to not explore the places which are unknown to them. It is the challenge that makes the adventure so important. If humans never began to explore the world around them and find new and innovative ways to live, we would still be stuck as Homo Erectus, the upright man in the stone age. It is only human to be curious of his surroundings. So, I believe that adventuring deeper into space is a good feat - possibly landing on more of our solar system's planets or moons to discover more about their composition. There are many outcomes to such exploration; it is not simply a futile waste of money.