Stating that the space race was a mostly military contest is completely false. Had it been a military contest, both sides would have launched nuclear weapons into orbit. While some of the rocketry science was applied to ICBMs, much was also applied to manned and science missions, which would have little potential military application. The space race was more of a contest to show off the industrial prowess of communism and capitalism, in order to influence other nations. It was more akin to the Olympics than to an arms race.