Spectral lines: The space shuffle

It is inarguable that the Soviets began it all in 1957 when they rocketed a 184-pound satellite named Sputnik into space. It is also clear that the United States caught up and then drew ahead of the USSR in space technology and applications, so that by the 1970s it was the undisputed leader. The U.S. was also seen as an important partner in space ventures by other countries, as well as by the multinational European Space Agency (ESA). But all that is changing. France is now an important entity in the space race, as is Japan. Furthermore, countries who seek partners in space projects no longer turn exclusively to the U.S.