After the success of the Sputnik launch in 1957, the US feared that it would never be able to launch its own satellite.

the USSR had used technology developed by the US.

the Soviets had superior nuclear capabilities.

any future satellites would not be as successful.

The correct option is: "the Soviets had superior nuclear capabilities."

Sputnik 1, launched on October 4, 1957 by the Soviet Union, was the first artificial satellite in history. Sputnik 1 was the first of several satellites launched by the Soviet Union in its Sputnik program, most of them successful.

The United States was considered as a world power in space technology and the development of missiles. However, the launch of Sputnik I and the fact that one of the first two launch attempts failed, shook the American public. A crisis therefore occurred, called the "Sputnik crisis", due to the imminent threat of the Soviet Union.

During the Cold War, a feeling of fear about the possibilities in the Soviet Union's intentions was growing in the United States. Once it was demonstrated that the Soviet Union was placing satellites in orbit, this concern increased considerably, since the technology to place satellites in orbit also allowed the possibility of launching nuclear warheads at intercontinental distances.

The answer on Edgen is:

(C.) the Soviets had superior nuclear capabilities.

I just took the test.