Timeline of the Space Race

This is a timeline of achievements in Soviet and United States spaceflight, spanning the Cold War era of nationalistic competition known as the Space Race.

This list is limited to first achievements by the USSR and USA which were important during the Space Race in terms of public perception and/or technical innovation. This excludes first uses of specific on-board equipment and new scientific discoveries, or achievements by other countries.

1957–1959




1960–1969




1970–1979






1980–1989


On 1991 December 31, the United Nations accepted the dissolution of the USSR, which meant the end of the space race.