space race

American  

[speys reys] / ˈspeɪs ˌreɪs /

noun

1. a Cold War rivalry in which the United States and the Soviet Union competed for primacy in space exploration, beginning with the Soviet launch of the artificial satellite Sputnik I on October 4, 1957, and effectively ending with the moon landing of the U.S. manned module Eagle on July 20, 1969.

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Etymology

Origin of space race

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

space race

It was the soundtrack of the Cold War and the space race.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

There is what might become a real, private space race between Musk and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket company.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

But Nasa is competing with China to returns humans to the lunar surface, meaning the space agency is under pressure to appear to be winning the new space race.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

The space race is heating up ahead of SpaceX’s initial public offering.

From Barron's ● May 11, 2026

Besides, the space race was about a lot more than bragging rights.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin