The events of the Space Race was a way to demonstrate whether the US or the USSR was "winning" the Cold War.
The Cold War became a competition over capitalism and democracy versus communism. Since both sides knew the danger in going to war, the Space Race was a way to show who would win if war took place without the danger of atomic warfare. The USSR launch of Sputnik in 1957 put the US on notice and they responded with the Mercury and Apollo programs. The US landing on the moon in 1969 marked a major win for the US. </span>
The space race was especially important because of its role in the Cold War, a time of political tension between the USA and USSR. The Space Race was viewed as an important part of the Cold War given it could show the world which country had the greatest technology and economic system. By landing on the moon, the United States was able to present itself as the winner in both the Space Race and the Cold War.
