Final answer:
The Soviet Union beat the USA to putting a satellite in space orbiting the earth with the launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957.
Step-by-step explanation:
The country that beat the USA to putting a satellite in space orbiting the earth was Soviet Union. They launched the first satellite called Sputnik 1 in October 1957, which successfully orbited Earth and ushered in the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.