USSR vs USA

1961- First American in space

Jan 3, 1956

1961- First American in space (Alan Shepard)

1957- Soviet Union launches Sputnik

Jan 2, 1957

Soviet Union launches Sputnik

1958 U.S. launches an artificial satellite

Jan 1, 1958

U.S. launches an artificial satellite

1959- Luna 2 probe reaches the moon

Jan 4, 1959

1959- Luna 2 probe reaches the moon

1961- First human orbits Earth

Jan 6, 1961

1961- First human orbits Earth (Yuri Gagarin)

1962- First American orbits Earth

Jan 5, 1962

1962- First American orbits Earth (John Glenn, Jr) Mariner 2 flies past venus

1963- First woman in space

Jan 8, 1963

1963- First woman in space (Valentina Tereshkova)

1965- Mariner 4 space probe flies past mars

Jan 7, 1965

1965- Mariner 4 space probe flies past mars
1965- Mariner 4 space probe flies past mars

1969- Apollo 11 first manned moon landing

Jan 9, 1969

1969- Apollo 11 first manned moon landing (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins)

1970- Venera 7 lands on venus

Jan 10, 1970

1970- Venera 7 lands on Venus

1971- First manned space station

Jan 12, 1971

1971- First manned space station; Mars 3 drops capsule on Mars

1973- Pioneer 7 sent toward Jupiter

Jan 11, 1973

1973- Pioneer 7 sent toward Jupiter

1975- U.S. and Soviet Union launch first joint space mission

Jan 13, 1975

1975- U.S. and Soviet Union launch first joint space mission