## 3 Geopolitical Conditions  
### The First Space Race  
As early as 1903, the Russian teacher and amateur scientist [PERSON] formulated the rocket equation that would later lay the theoretical foundation for space exploration. Two decades later, Austro-Hungarian-born German physicist [PERSON] published \"Die Rakete zu den Planetenraumen\" (The Rocket into Planetary Space) in 1923, a work that was initially rejected as a doctoral dissertation at the University of Gottingen but finally became foundational for rocket science. [PERSON] became a mentor of [PERSON], who would later play a crucial role in both Nazi and American rocketry. The first successful launch of a liquid-fueled rocket came in 1926, when American engineer [PERSON] achieved a historic flight. However, lacking government support and financial backing, his work remained underfunded, limiting its impact [15; 30].  
According to [PERSON] [36], people face challenges for three reasons. At the core of their actions lie three universal motives: love, profit-seeking, and fear. A love of science was not enough to start space exploration; financing was needed. At that stage of development, plans were too bold to rely on business motivation. Thus, the road to space was paved by the military ambitions of two totalitarian regimes, Soviet (with [PERSON] as a leader of the space exploration program) and Nazi. In Nazi Germany, under the direction of [PERSON], the Third Reich successfully launched the V-2 rocket in 1942--the first missile to cross the Karman line. The V-2 was not designed for exploration but as a weapon of war [15; 30]. [PERSON] notices, \"the German V-2-was not only a missile strike vehicle that killed 3,000 people by the end of the Second World War but killed 20,000 through the use of genocidal labour practices\" [10] (p. 7). It justifies his opinion of an \"original sin\" in space exploration. It refers to the idea that military and strategic concerns have been fundamental to space exploration from the very beginning.  
The Space Race was one of the key aspects of the Cold War, a high-stakes competition between two superpowers fundamentally driven by a geopolitical struggle for superiority and dominance. In 1945, under Operation Paperclip, the U.S. brought [PERSON] and over 1600 German rocket scientists. Similarly, the Soviet Union, through Operation Osoaviakhim, brought over 2200 specialists under the direction of [PERSON], later known as the \"[PERSON]\". These efforts laid the foundation for both nations' space programs [10; 15; 30].  
Initially, the Soviet Union took an early lead due to the launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957. The leadership of the Soviets in the Space Race was further proven by [PERSON]'s historic orbital flight aboard Vostok 1 in April 1961. Determined to reclaim the lead, the U.S. initiated the Apollo program pursuing President [PERSON]'s goal: landing a man on the Moon before the decade's end [10; 15; 30; 37; 38].  
The turning point of the Space Race came in July 1969, when Apollo 11 successfully landed on the Moon. The Soviet lunar program, in contrast, suffered setbacks. This was not the end of the Space Race yet; however, it was a pivotal moment prophesying American victory [10; 15; 30].