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The Soviet Union enters the race
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched a satellite called Sputnik into space. Sputnik was about the size of a beachball and weighed less than 20 pounds. It took about 90 minutes to orbit the earth. A month later they sent Sputnik Two which contained a living thing, a dog called Laika. https://history.nasa.gov/sputnik.html -
The United States Enters the Race
On January 31, 1958, the United States launches their first successful satellite called Explorer 1. The Americans decided that it was time to start a private funding organization for the race. -
NASA is Born
After Sputnik, the Americans thought it necessary to have a private organization funding the Space Race, so NASA was born. -
The First Man in Space
On April 12, 1961, Soviet Yuri Gagarin became the first man into space. He completed a 108 minute orbit around the earth. -
The United States Catches Up
On May 5, 1961, the United States sent their first man to space. Alan Sheppard was a navy test pilot who got sent to orbit the earth. -
President Kennedy's Speech
On May 25, 1961 President Kennedy gave a speech promising Americans that we will have a man on the moon within the decade. From then on, the Space Race shifted into being specifically a race to the moon. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/60-years-ago-president-kennedy-proposes-moon-landing-goal-in-speech-to-congress -
The Mars Landing
While the race to the moon was still underway, NASA was still working on additional space travel as well. On July 14 and 15, the Mariner 4 became the first space craft to travel to Mars, and the first space craft to take a picture of another planet while in space. -
Man on the Moon
On July 20, 1969 after the United States have had several failed attempts at a moon landing, they finally succeed and Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the moon. Thus, fulfilling Kennedy's promise to the nation, and ending the Space race with the Soviets.