The Soviet Union appeared  to be winning the Space Race by beating the US to firsts, but its early lead was overtaken by the US Gemini program and Soviet failure to develop the N1 launcher, which would have been comparable to the Saturn V.
ðə sˈoʊviət jˈuːniən ɐpˈɪɹd təbi wˈɪnɪŋ ðə spˈeɪs ɹˈeɪs baɪ bˈiːɾɪŋ ðə jˌuːˈɛs tə fˈɜːsts, bˌʌt ɪts ˈɜːli lˈiːd wʌz ˌoʊvɚtˈeɪkən baɪ ðə jˌuːˈɛs dʒˈɛmᵻnˌaɪ pɹˈoʊɡɹæm ænd sˈoʊviət fˈeɪlɪɹ tə dɪvˈɛləp ðɪ ˈɛn wˈʌn lˈɔːntʃɚ, wˌɪtʃ wʊdhɐv bˌɪn kˈɑːmpɚɹəbəl tə ðə sˈæɾɜːn vˈiː.