[NOVA Teachers] Sputnik Declassified airs Nov. 6
Hello Educators,
In next week's airing of "Sputnik Declassified," NOVA reveals the
political and scientific story behind the 1957 launch of the first
satellite, Sputnik 1. (Subjects covered: social studies, world
history, space science, technology/engineering)
http://www.pbs.org/nova/sputnik
SPUTNIK DECLASSIFIED
Tuesday, November 6 at 8 p.m.
Check your local listings as dates and times may vary.
(Broadcast in High Definition where available.)
On October 4, 1957, the Space Age dawned with the red hue of the
Communist flag when the Soviet Union launched the first artificial
satellite. Sputnik I stunned the world and spurred a surge in science
education and innovation that changed our world forever. But was
Sputnik I really a shock to America's leaders, and how close was the
U.S. to getting into space first?
In "Sputnik Declassified," NOVA probes the prehistory of the Space
Age, examining what makes Earth orbit so difficult to achieve; why
the superpower rivalry in the wake of World War II made spaceflight
attainable for the first time in history; and counters the popular
view that President Dwight Eisenhower and the American science and
defense establishments were caught completely off guard.
"Sputnik Declassified" draws on previously classified documents to
tell the real story behind the opening chapter in the space race.
Here's what you'll find on the companion Web site:
Space Race Time Line
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/timeline.html
Examine turning points in the Cold War competition to
dominate space.
A Tainted Legacy
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/vonbraun.html
How should Wernher von Braun be remembered -- as a Nazi engineer
or a space visionary?
A Blow to the Nation
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/nation.html
The launch of Sputnik came as a shock to Americans long
accustomed to being number one.
Build a Rocket
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/v2.html
Learn more about how the innovative German V-2 rocket worked by
assembling it yourself.
What Satellites See
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/satellite.html
Images from near-Earth orbit can tell us a lot about our world.
Also, Links and books, a Teacher's Guide, the program transcript,
and more:
http://www.pbs.org/nova/sputnik