The Space Race (1957 - 1975) was an unofficial competition in the exploration of space between the United States and the Soviet Union (present day Russia). The Space Race started in 1957 when the Russians developed rocket technology and launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. The U.S. and Russia continued to compete throughout the years, until the U.S. placed a man on the moon in 1969, a feat Russia was not able to replicate.
