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
-
Podcast
Technology & National Security
AI, Trust, and the Future of WarfareLieutenant General John (Jack) N.T. Shanahan, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, helped shape the Department of Defense...
By Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan
-
CNAS Insights
Technology & National Security
CNAS Insights | Governing Jailbreak IncidentsIn June 2026, Anthropic publicly released Claude Fable 5, a restricted version of its highly cyber-capable Mythos model. Within days, reports reached U.S. officials that resea...
By Ben Hayum
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
Closing the Remote Access LoopThis article was originally published in Issues in Science and Technology. As Asad Ramzanali argues in “Why the Cloud Needs Competition” (Issues, Winter 2026), cloud computing...
By Michelle Nie
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
Losing the War of the FutureThis article was originally published in Foreign Affairs. In its recent campaign against Iran, the United States dominated the skies using its traditional airpower. The U.S. m...
By Paul Scharre
