History glossary
space race
the Cold War competition between the Soviet Union and the United States for achievements in space exploration.
- Category
- Cold War competition
- Region
- Global
- Date range
- 1950s-1970s
What it means
The space race was the Cold War competition between the Soviet Union and the United States for technological, military, ideological, and symbolic achievements in space. Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin gave the USSR early victories before the United States reached the Moon in 1969.
