History of NASA

Chris Trusik

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Beginnings

USA vs. USSR

FundingSpace

Missions/ Technology

Bibliography

BeginningsDuring the late 40’s, the Department of Defense

pursued research on rocketry and upper atmospheric sciences as a means of becoming a technological superpower

President Eisenhower approved a plan to send a satellite into orbit to research the earth on July 1, 1957, and lasted until December 31, 1958

After the satellites success, Eisenhower created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or, NASA on Oct. 1, 1958

For more information: http://history.nasa.gov/factsheet.htm

President Eisenhower signs the NASA Act

Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David “Ike” Eisenhower, born Oct. 14,

1890, was a five star general as well as our 34th president

He was the Supreme Commander of Allied European forces and is credited with the successful invasions of France and Germany

Oversaw the “Space Race”, a heated competition between the U.S. and the Soviets over who would be the first into space and, later, the moon

USA vs. USSROn Oct. 4, 1957, the Russians beat us to

space, launching their satellite Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite

The American people had what was called a “Pearl Harbor” effect, or simply, the people were in complete shock

As a direct result, the United States launched their own satellite, Explorer 1, on Jan. 31, 1958

For more information on these and other satellites: http://claudelafleur.qc.ca/Spacecrafts-1958.html

< Explorer 1Sputnik 1 >

Explorer 1First successful US orbital launch, Explorer 1

was developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and carried the U.S.-IGY (International Geophysical Year) experiment of James A. Van Allen for the study of cosmic rays, micrometeorites, and for monitoring of the satellite's temperature.

Mission Duration: 111 DaysWeight: 30.80 lbsNumber of times orbited earth: 56,000

Sputnik 1The first truly "scientific" satellite to be

orbited by the Soviet Union; it was supposed to have been launched first in 1957, but when this spacecraft took longer than planned to be built, it was replaced by two simpler ones. This 1 250-kg spacecraft was dedicated to study Earth's magnetosphere.

Mission Duration: 3 monthsWeight: 184.3 lbsNumber of times orbited earth: 1,440

FundingAs a direct result of the Sputnik 1 satellite,

NASA absorbed itself into the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, along with its $100 million budget, 3 major research laboratories and the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory

Seal of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics featuring the Wright brother’s famous first flight

National Advisory Committee for AeronauticsThe National Advisory Committee for

Aeronautics (NACA) was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Space Missions/ TechnologyNASA began missions mere months after its

creation and have continued since. Some examples are:Single astronaut programs to see if man can

survive in space (1961-63)Project Gemini – two astronaut program to

practice space operations (1965-66)Project Apollo – exploration of the moon (1968-

72)

Project ApolloThe Apollo program was a NASA spaceflight

endeavor that landed the first humans on Earth's moon. Conceived during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Apollo began in earnest after US President John F. Kennedy announced his support for a manned moon landing on May 25, 1961, as part of a special address to a joint session of Congress declaring a national goal of "landing a man on the Moon" by the end of the decade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4

Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt standing next to a boulder at Taurus-Littrow on the Moon in December 1972 >

Bibliographyhttp://history.nasa.gov/factsheet.htmhttp://claudelafleur.qc.ca/Spacecrafts-1958.ht

mlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA