<span>It was a key event in the early </span>Cold War<span> that triggered the </span>creation of NASA<span> and </span>Space Race. The launch spurred a series of initiatives by the United States,<span>ranging from defense to education. Increased emphasis was placed on the Navy's </span>Project Vanguard<span> to launch an American satellite into orbit b</span>etween the two superpowers.
