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How Sputnik changed everything

From The New York Times, a series of articles on space, including a look at how Sputnik changed everything — history, geopolitics, the scientific world. A reflection on the triumphs and disappointments of the space age; the space age launched more than satellites and spaceships, it launched a trend that changed pop culture forever; Moon or Mars, or both? Economic incentives of political? And who will lead the way?; and it has been 35 years since anybody was on the Moon, or more than 300 miles from Earth, for that matter. What happened to the so-called space age? A review of Red Moon Rising: Sputnik and the Hidden Rivalries That Ignited the Space Age by Matthew Brzezinski. A review of Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War by Michael J. Neufeld. A review of In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 by Francis French. Planetary scientists have articulated goals for exploring the solar system. Here are 5 essential things to do in space.