September 14, 2021
U.S. Technology Competitiveness: Lessons from the Space Age
America has a rich history of rising to meet generational challenges. The Soviet Union's 1957 launch of Sputnik—the world's first satellite—triggered the U.S.-Soviet space race. A centerpiece of the Cold War, the space race catalyzed U.S. science and technology competitiveness and galvanized the American public in the decades that followed.
A new video explainer from CNAS explores how the U.S. government mobilized its remarkable innovation base—its people, infrastructure, and resources—in the aftermath of the Sputnik launch. The U.S. government's actions throughout this period hold important lessons for how the country should bolster and advance its technological competitiveness today.
This latest release is the second in a series of videos on the need for a U.S. national technology strategy. Watch the first video in the series.
More from CNAS
-
Reports
Technology & National Security
Countering the Digital Silk Road: Saudi ArabiaProject Overview The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the Digital Silk Road (DSR), China’s ambitious initiative to shape critical digital infrastructure around the worl...
By Vivek Chilukuri & Ruby Scanlon
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
A Strategic Bet to Advance America’s Quantum LeadershipThe United States’ lead, however, is increasingly fragile: underinvestment, inconsistent demand, and a brittle supply chain are threatening to trap quantum sensing prototypes ...
By Constanza M. Vidal Bustamante
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
Sharper: QuantumIn the 21st century, the countries with the most advanced quantum technologies could have the most advanced weapons systems, pharmaceuticals, weather forecasting, and clean en...
By Sam Howell & Charles Horn
-
Commentary
Indo-Pacific Security / Energy, Economics & Security / Technology & National Security
Selling AI Chips Won’t Keep China Hooked on U.S. TechnologyU.S. policy should not rest on the illusion that selling chips can trap China inside the American tech ecosystem....
By Janet Egan
