Why was Sputnik significant to the United States?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sputnik was significant to the United States because it marked the Soviets' step ahead of America at the beginning of the Space Race. Sputnik was a satellite launched into low Earth orbit in October 1957. It was the first manmade object ever put into space. The project's success caught the Americans off guard and caused an all-out panic among the American public and the nation's defense community. NASA was formally created less than a year later as the United States began the Space Race with the Soviets, which was a defining element of the 1960s and the Cold War.

Why Was Sputnik Significant to the United States