The launch of Sputnik I in October 1957 marked the beginning of the space era, as well as the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
In the 21st century, there are many more participants in space, including countries such as India and China, and commercial companies such as SpaceX.
How will the United States fare in a crowded outer space?
That question and many others will be answered by Monmouth College Assistant Professor of Physics Michael Solontoi at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, as part of the “Great Decisions” weekly series at Mellinger Commons, inside the Center for Science and Business.
Solontoi plans to address the U.S. “exploration and intentional interactions with space, and how it is really intertwined in policies. We really need to — at this point — as many organizations are now interacting in space — it’s not just the Cold War anymore, U.S. against the Soviet Union.”