This is a timeline of achievements in Soviet and United States spaceflight, spanning the Cold War era of nationalistic competition known as the Space Race. This list is limited to first achievements by the USSR and USA which were important during the Space Race in terms of public perception and/or technical innovation. This excludes first uses of specific on-board equipment and new scientific discoveries, or achievements by other countries.

Beginning

1957–1959

1960–1969

1970–1979

1980–1989

On 1991 December 31, the United Nations accepted the dissolution of the USSR, which meant the end of the space race.