Supremacy In The Space Race

The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union was one of the greatest rivalries of the 20th century. From 1955 to 1972, these two superpowers battled each other for supremacy in space flight technologies, with each country launching multiple satellites and manned missions into space. Their ultimate goal was to put a man on the moon. The 1957 launch of the Sputnik satellite by the Soviets had an immense effect on the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The launch proved that Eisenhower lacked leadership skills. He could not prove to his fellow Republicans in congress that space travel should be a top priority of the country. Democrats believed that not enough funding had gone into national defense and that the Soviet satellite