Throughout history, science and technology have been relied upon to advance humanity. In the Cold War period, this was no different. Indeed, the Cold War period was characterized as much by scientific and technological innovation as by the clash between East and West. From missiles to the space race, science and technology have ensured both superiority and mutual destruction throughout the era. The space race, in particular, was a long battle for dominance between American and Soviet minds. Space travel was no longer limited to science fiction, but a reality that needed to be explored to maintain victory in the Cold War. This article will argue that although space dominance served as a metaphor for Cold War superiority, space colonization was ultimately the catalyst for American exploration in science fiction and Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) propaganda. Consequently, when the Americans first landed their astronauts on the Moon, it was a victory for politics, imagination and the American people. First, an exploration of the history and politics of space travel in the United States and the Soviet Union will be discussed. From there, both the political cartoons and the development of science fiction will be developed alongside the events leading up to the launch of Sputnik and the Apollo 11 moonwalk to draw the parallel with which interest in space fueled science fiction phenomena. While this article focuses on the events leading up to Apollo 11, a discussion of the declining role of science fiction and interest in space as a means of winning the Cold War will come into focus. Finally, space age climate events of the 1950s and 1960s will be compared and contrasted with contemporary events to determine...... middle of paper ......o a new level. Furthermore, a subtle war was emerging between the Soviet Union and the United States. Both nations had power, people, prosperity, and a drive to succeed. As early as 1948, the Soviets expressed discontent with the United States in science fiction. For example, a publication titled “The Incredible Slingshot Bombs,” written by an American, was criticized by the Soviets (Major 77). In the story, a boy comes into possession of tiny bombs and uses them to cause chaos using a slingshot (Major 77). The Soviets attacked both history and the United States, claiming that “a thug with an atomic slingshot, isn't that the true symbol of modern imperialism?” (Major 77). After the atomic bomb, the world was under the control of the United States, which dwelt on Huxley's predictions and hinted at the future of Soviet-American interactions in the years to come..