Question: what were the major events of the space race?
Answer: 4 October 1957: The USSR successfully launches Sputnik 1, the first Earth-orbiting satellite in history.
3 November 1957: The USSR successfully launches Sputnik 2, carrying a dog named Laika into space. ... 
31 January 1958: The US enter the Space Race by launching Explorer 1, the first US satellite to reach orbit.