Impact Today
Even though the Space Race has concluded (There is no clear ending but it is debated), there were a lot of things that were and still are being affected by it. Some of these things are GPS, fast smartphones that can make calls worldwide, digital T.V., the internet, and much more. The article “How Technology From The Space Race Changed the World” by Aldo Spadoni, states,
BREAKING BARRIERS IN HISTORY
“The global positioning system (GPS) was originally developed by the military for precision navigation and weapon targeting purposes. The GPS developers probably did not foresee how this technology would transform almost every industry, as well as day-to-day life, on a global scale.” This shows that GPS would not have been able to exist without the satellites that were created during the Space Race. A lot of other things also would have been affected by this. In conclusion, a lot of the things that we have today either wouldn't be able to exist or wouldn’t be as technologically advanced as they are today.
The Space Race not only made a lot of modern-day technology possible, it made communication easier. In the article “Benefits of Space: Communication” the United Nations specify that,
“A Radio Transmission Tower.” Whirligig Snippets, www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/memories/snippets/snippets2.htm.
A radio Transmitter Before Sattellites
“How a GPS Works.” Mdpi.com, MDPI, 12 Mar. 2019, www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/10/2291/htm
This is how a GPS system Works
BREAKING BARRIERS IN HISTORY
"While Earth-based alternatives to space technologies are sometimes possible, space-based technology can often reduce infrastructure requirements and offer more cost effective service delivery options. For instance, instead of constructing a series of transmission and relay towers to broadcast television programmes to far-to-reach places, one satellite dish could be provided to a remote community to pick up broadcast signals sent from a satellite."
By reading this, it was confirmed that because of satellite communication, the cost of long-distance communication dropped significantly. Without satellites, fewer people would be able to communicate long distances.