Science

When the Space Age Blasted Off, Pop Culture Followed

The space age launched more than satellites and spaceships, it launched a trend that changed pop culture forever.

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New Challengers Emerge, Threatening to Take the Lead

Americans fear that the United States has frittered away 35 years of space superiority, and a new generation of rivals is about to shove it into second place.

From the Start, the Space Race Was an Arms Race

Sputnik forced America to consider space as the new frontier for the arms race. How has that legacy persisted?

When Science Suddenly Mattered, in Space and in Class

For many, Sputnik was proof that America’s science education had fallen behind. But since then, how far have we come?

Two Early Pioneers Continue Their Work at the Frontier

Thirty years after their initial launch, the two Voyager spacecrafts continue their journey to the far reaches of the solar system.

Present for the Beginning: A Khrushchev Remembers

Sergei N. Khrushchev, son of the Soviet premier Nikita S. Khrushchev, recalls how the Soviet Union reacted to the success of Sputnik.

Space Age Artifacts? The Smithsonian Is Just the Beginning

Sometimes the most interesting artifacts from the space age may be found in a museum near you.

Voices: 10/4/57

The New York Times asked scientists and others who lived through it (and a few who were yet to be born) to reflect on what Sputnik meant to them.