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The '''Space Race''' refers to competition between the [[United States]] and the [[Soviet Union]] over space exploration during the 1950's and 1960's, often specifically to refer to the race to land on the moon. Although the Soviet Union achieved many of the important firsts, including launching the first satellite, [[Sputnik]], and the first man, [[Yuri Gagarin]], into orbit, the United States eventually won the race by landing [[Apollo 11]] on the moon in 1969.
== Key Events ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Date
! Nation
! Event
|-
| October 4, 1957
| Soviet Union
| [[Sputnik]], the first satellite, is launched.
|-
| January 31, 1958
| United States
| [[Explorer I]], the US's first satellite, is launched.
|-
| October 1, 1958
| United States
| NASA is formed.
|-
| April 12, 1961
| Soviet Union
| [[Yuri Gagarin]] becomes the first man in space, orbiting once.
|-
| May 5, 1961
| United States
| [[Alan Shepard]] becomes the first American in space.
|-
| May 25, 1961
| United States
| [[John F. Kennedy]] gives his famous speech, challenging America to land on the moon by the end of the decade.
|-
| February 20, 1962
| United States
| [[John Glenn]] becomes the first American to orbit the Earth.
|-
| June 16, 1963
| Soviet Union
| [[Valentia Tereshkova]] becomes the first woman in space.
|-
| March 18, 1965
| Soviet Union
| [[Alexei Leonov]] performs the first [[spacewalk]].
|-
| March 23, 1965
| United States
| First [[Gemini]] mission.
|-
| June 3, 1965
| United States
| [[Ed White]] performs the first American spacewalk.
|-
| December 15, 1965
| United States
| Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 perform the first space rendezvous.
|-
| February 3, 1966
| Soviet Union
| [[Luna 9]] becomes the first spacecraft to land on the Moon (Luna 2 had impacted, but not soft landed, in 1959.)
|-
| January 27. 1967
| United States
| A fire ignites in the [[Apollo 1]] capsule during a test, killing astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.
|-
| September 15, 1968
| Soviet Union
| Zond 5 becomes the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon and return to Earth.
|-
| December 21, 1968
| United States
| [[Apollo 8]] launches, becoming the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon and return to Earth.
|-
| July 20, 1969
| United States
| [[Apollo 11]] lands on the moon. [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] become the first men to walk on the moon.
|}<ref>http://www.thespacerace.com/timeline/</ref>
== Key Events ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Date
! Nation
! Event
|-
| October 4, 1957
| Soviet Union
| [[Sputnik]], the first satellite, is launched.
|-
| January 31, 1958
| United States
| [[Explorer I]], the US's first satellite, is launched.
|-
| October 1, 1958
| United States
| NASA is formed.
|-
| April 12, 1961
| Soviet Union
| [[Yuri Gagarin]] becomes the first man in space, orbiting once.
|-
| May 5, 1961
| United States
| [[Alan Shepard]] becomes the first American in space.
|-
| May 25, 1961
| United States
| [[John F. Kennedy]] gives his famous speech, challenging America to land on the moon by the end of the decade.
|-
| February 20, 1962
| United States
| [[John Glenn]] becomes the first American to orbit the Earth.
|-
| June 16, 1963
| Soviet Union
| [[Valentia Tereshkova]] becomes the first woman in space.
|-
| March 18, 1965
| Soviet Union
| [[Alexei Leonov]] performs the first [[spacewalk]].
|-
| March 23, 1965
| United States
| First [[Gemini]] mission.
|-
| June 3, 1965
| United States
| [[Ed White]] performs the first American spacewalk.
|-
| December 15, 1965
| United States
| Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 perform the first space rendezvous.
|-
| February 3, 1966
| Soviet Union
| [[Luna 9]] becomes the first spacecraft to land on the Moon (Luna 2 had impacted, but not soft landed, in 1959.)
|-
| January 27. 1967
| United States
| A fire ignites in the [[Apollo 1]] capsule during a test, killing astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.
|-
| September 15, 1968
| Soviet Union
| Zond 5 becomes the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon and return to Earth.
|-
| December 21, 1968
| United States
| [[Apollo 8]] launches, becoming the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon and return to Earth.
|-
| July 20, 1969
| United States
| [[Apollo 11]] lands on the moon. [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] become the first men to walk on the moon.
|}<ref>http://www.thespacerace.com/timeline/</ref>