Americans know Russia won the space race right? Asking because of something someone here said.

That was the Soviet Union, not Russia.

This is an interesting topic I enjoy and follow closely. It was neither the Soviet Union nor the United States but Germany who first launched a man-made object that reached space, namely a V-2 A4 rocket launched from Peenemünde traveling 118 miles on October 3, 1942. The 2-ton, liquid-propellant rocket was designed by rocket scientist Wernher von Braun who later worked with NASA to assist in their space endeavors.


However, the space race generally involved the Soviet Union and the United States in competition. Although the Soviet Union is credited with many 'firsts' in space efforts (first: dog, man, woman, orbit around the Earth, etc...), the world's technical and cultural prize was the Moon. As we all know the United States got there first (and continued sending), but little is known of the Soviet Union's moon rocket called the N1 which was tested but exploded each of four tests.

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The main reason why N1 did not succeed lies in their inability to successfully make rockets the size and caliber of the big 5 F-1 rocket engines on the first stage of the Saturn V. They did not have the capital/skillset/logistics available to them back then, so they resorted to attaching 30 NK-15 rocket engines instead in a clustered configuration. The rocket exploded on every test.

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Elon Musk of SpaceX has begun to master this difficult task of combining the 29-33 Raptor rocket engines necessary to launch his latest heavy lift rocket (Starship) successfully.
[center][/center]Either way you look at it though, SpaceX has put the current Russian space program out of competition, and also rendering NASA's latest Artemis/SLS heavy booster projects on hold after numerous delays while partnering closely on several NASA projects. Elon Musk has implemented a way to launch re-usable rockets that not only significantly reduce the costs of sending payloads into space but found and surpassed the break-even point where space stations, moon bases as well as Mars flights and bases are not only feasible, but planned.

Thinking of applying for a job with SpaceX myself as I worked in the aerospace industry on rocket, missile, and satellite component failures. What a great time to be alive as we transition to becoming an interplanetary species!

I'm pretty sure that was only one segment of the space race... there's a lot more to come too... if we can keep the planet going that is

They got to space first but their achievement was rather spectacularly eclipsed by men setting foot on ground that was not the earth...

No confusion, they orbited the earth with Sputnik and put the first man in space .
Are you done ?

conveniently-drawn finish line there, ain't it? I really don't give a shit, personally.

Not to take anything from Gagarin, but the Soviets and the USA both made much more significant space records. I see the Soviets and Americans as being dominant in different ways. The US has always dominated technically. A lot could be said there. Landing in the moon being at the top of the list. But the Soviets dominated in the sheer amount of time in space at the space station, and a lot of technical manouevers involving the space station.

So if your model of winning the space race being the first humans to live and work extended periods of times in space— the Soviets won. If it’s to get beyond our gravity and step on another world— we won.

Psst, don’t tell them that. They’ll cry. Just let them have their moon participants prize.

Should change the group by consolidating it with bash America thread for trolls.

The USA had the technology to put a man on the moon and come back - many times. When many 3rd worlders were still swinging from tree vines to travel from one village to another.

Imagine thinking billions of tax dollars wasted to some fruit landing on a rock in space before everyone else is a flex 🤣

Guru Gagarin was the first Russian to survive going into space.

I thought the space race was about landing on the moon. I suppose if we change the context you’re right.

It doesn't matter who's ahead for the whole race. It matters who crosses the finish line first.

The race wasn't 'first dickhead to get up there' USA already thought Russia already had and was testing Nukes on the moon due to some weird radiation readings they were getting on earth. Something to do with Black Holes.

I’m not sure the “space race” was a 100 yard dash. It’s still going on. It’s a marathon with no foreseeable winners at the moment.

I don't think there really was a race, until after Gagarin's first flight.

Doing a sprint in a marathon you may win the first but the last part probably won’t be as fast.

Nobody won it imo. Even with everything we know we still don't really know shit

Very true... It really depends on what ever definition your using though...

I don’t know a single person that cares

Didn’t know there was any.

Who won the race depends on what you consider the finish line.

Prolly wasn’t the best economic goal ey… 🤔

*sigh*