Sputnik Crisis
NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union’s October 4, 1957 launch of its first satellite, Sputnik I. The 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the earth in 98 minutes. The Sputnik launch caught Americans by surprise and sparked fears that the Soviets might also be capable of sending missiles with nuclear weapons from Europe to America. The United States prided itself on being at the forefront of technology, and, embarrassed, immediately began developing a response, signaling the start of the U.S.-Soviet space race.The U.S. Congress urged immediate and swift action; President Dwight D. Eisenhower counseled more deliberate measures. The result was a consensus that the White House forged among key interest groups, including scientists committed to basic research; the Pentagon which had to match the Soviet military achievement; corporate America looking for new business; and a strong new trend in public opinion looking up to space exploration. Eisenhower declared three “stark facts” the United States needed to confront:
- The Soviets had surpassed America and the rest of the free world in scientific and technological advancements in outer space.
- If the Soviets maintained that superiority, they might use it as a means to undermine America’s prestige and leadership.
- If the Soviets became the first to achieve significantly superior military capability in outer space and created an imbalance of power, they could pose a direct military threat to the US.
The front page of The New York Times on Oct. 5, 1957.
Objectives of NASA
It is instructive to recall the objectives for NASA that emerged in section 102 of the final Space Act:
- The expansion of human knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere and space;
- The improvement of the usefulness, performance, speed, safety, and efficiency of aeronautical and space vehicles;
- The development and operation of vehicles capable of carrying instruments, equipment, supplies, and living organisms through space;
- The establishment of long-range studies of the potential benefits to be gained from, the opportunities for, and the problems involved in the utilization of aeronautical and space activities for peaceful and scientific purposes;
- The preservation of the role of the United States as a leader in aeronautical and space science and technology and in the application thereof to the conduct of peaceful activities within and outside the atmosphere;
- The making available to agencies directly concerned with national defense of discoveries that have military value or significance, and the furnishing by such agencies, to the civilian agency established to direct and control nonmilitary aeronautical and space activities, of information as to discoveries which have value or significance to that agency;
- Cooperation by the United States with other nations and groups of nations in work done pursuant to this Act and in the peaceful application of the results thereof;
- The most effective utilization of the scientific and engineering resources of the United States, with close cooperation among all interested agencies of the United States in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, facilities and equipment
The Space Act has been amended many times since 1958, but these goals have been little changed.
History of NASA
Not too long after Russia’s incredible feat with the first satellite launch, NASA began operations on October 1, 1958. The agency was established “to manage space exploration and aeronautics research in the United States.”
This was mainly done out of fear by the Americans. They saw the launch of the Sputnik — in 98 minutes, the 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the entire planet. This caught Americans off guard, and it generated fears that the Soviets may be able to transport nuclear weapons-carrying missiles from Europe to America.
Given the ongoing circumstances of the Cold War between the USSR and the USA, it immediately geared up with research and advancements in the fields of science and technology.
The birth of NASA essentially signified the commencement of the space rivalry between the two super-powerful nations. As we discuss advanced technology in science, we also learn about the history of artificial intelligence (AI).
Achievements of NASA
Our first astronauts were launched into space thanks to the Mercury programme by NASA. The mission’s goal, which included six manned space flights, was simple: orbit the planet, examine man’s ability to function in space, and successfully recover both man and spacecraft.
Using wind tunnels, flight testing, and computer simulations, NASA has continued to conduct cutting-edge aeronautics research on aerodynamics, wind shear, and other vital areas, building on its NACA roots. (NACA stands for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.)
The very successful X-15 programme, which involved a rocket-powered plane that went above the atmosphere and then drifted back to Earth unpowered, provided Shuttle designers with valuable information.
The groundbreaking F-8 digital-fly-by-wire programme paved the way for electronic flying in a variety of other aircraft, including the Space Shuttle and high-performance jets that would have been impossible to handle otherwise.
NASA has also conducted significant research on «lifting bodies» (wingless aeroplanes) and «supercritical wings» to reduce the impact of shock waves on transonic aircraft.
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NASA has also pioneered work in the field of space applications satellites. New generations of communications satellites, such as the Echo, Telstar, and Syncom satellites, were developed with NASA’s assistance.
The Landsat and Earth Observing System missions have provided numerous important scientific results, and NASA’s Earth science initiatives have practically changed the way we observe our home planet.
One of the achievements NASA takes the most pride in is the Hubble Telescope.
A 3-metre space telescope was proposed by NASA and the European Space Agency in the 1970s. The telescope was named after Edwin Powell Hubble, who discovered the expansion of the Universe in the 1920s.
It was previously known just as a ‘Large space telescope’ and was renamed in 1983 in honour of astronomer Edwin Hubble. He demonstrated that there are other galaxies in our universe and that they are travelling away from our Milky Way galaxy at a faster rate as they get farther away.
Scientists have been able to make a number of key astronomical discoveries about our universe thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope and other space science missions. NASA has also pioneered work in the field of space applications satellites.
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American astronauts Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) and Edwin «Buzz» Aldrin (1930-) became the first people to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969.
On the insistence of President John F. Kennedy, the USA decided to send people to the Moon for the first time in history.
On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 was launched into orbit. The astronauts of Apollo 11 were Neil Armstrong, Edwin «Buzz» Aldrin, and Michael Collins.
Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon four days later. In the Lunar Module, they landed on the moon. It was known as the Eagle. Collins remained in lunar orbit for the duration of his mission. He conducted experiments and took photographs.
Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon six and a half hours later. As he took his first step on the Moon, Neil Armstrong famously said, «That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.»
Between 1968 and 1972, 24 American astronauts made the journey from Earth to the Moon. James Lovell (Apollo 8 and Apollo 13), John Young (Apollo 10 and Apollo 16), and Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 and Apollo 16) were the only astronauts to go from Earth to the Moon twice (Apollo 10 and Apollo 17).
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What does NASA do?
You must be wondering, well space and technology, explorations, satellite launches all sound pretty impressive. But what has this organisation called NASA actually done to benefit humankind?
NASA does some of the most crucial work in understanding the existence of humankind, and through its space research, strives to answer the three fundamental questions: Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we going?
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In space, NASA astronauts perform scientific research.
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This helps the scientists to understand more about the Earth thanks to satellites launched by NASA.
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The solar system we live in and the universe beyond that are studied by space probes sent by NASA.
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Air travel and other aspects of flight have improved as a result of new research and developments.
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NASA is also launching a new effort to send more humans to the Moon and Mars to explore them.
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NASA has some of the most incredible achievements in the history of its existence, some of their major achievements are listed below.
NASA formation
NASA was officially formed through the of 1958 to in part, pursue «activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.» (Today, NASA recognizes a diverse workforce and uses terms such as «humans» instead.)
Much of the agency’s research, employees and programs were inherited from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics which was formed in 1915 in the midst of the First World War, during a need to develop advanced airplane technology, .
Other facilities were incorporated into NASA after its formation on Oct. 1, 1958, with notable examples including the Armyâs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) that later pursued solar system exploration, and rocket research under the Redstone Arsenal at Huntsville, Alabama (now called the Marshall Space Flight Center). Today, astronaut activities are performed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and solar system science at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center near Baltimore.
The impetus for NASA’s formation was complex, but briefly put, the United States and the Soviet Union were in the midst of a Cold War, which as «an ongoing political rivalry» between those countries and their allies between the end of the Second World War in 1945 and 1991 when the Soviet Union dissolved. That rivalry spurred missile technology and rocket development.
that it was formed due to «technological advances in other countries», saying that «lagging» in space matters «would put America not only at a technical disadvantage but also an economic and perhaps even military one.»
As the Second World War ended, both NASA and the Soviet Union acquired former Nazi German rocket engineers, including Wernher von Braun at NASA. The engineers’ role in Nazi atrocities must be remembered, but regarding the space program, they played a crucial role in developing early rockets.
That development culminated with the surprise launch of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik in 1957, the first-ever artificially made human satellite. NASA was also working on its own satellite under the auspices of the International Geophysical Year (from July 1, 1957, to Dec. 31, 1958). After several failed attempts by the Americans, the first U.S. satellite, , reached orbit on Jan. 31, 1958.
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July 29, 1958: NASA created
On January 12, 1958, NACA organized a “Special Committee on Space Technology,” headed by Guyford Stever. On January 14, 1958, NACA Director Hugh Dryden published “A National Research Program for Space Technology,” stating,
While this new federal agency would conduct all non-military space activity, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) was created in February 1958 to develop space technology for military application.On July 29, 1958, Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, establishing NASA. When it began operations on October 1, 1958, NASA absorbed the 43-year-old NACA intact; its 8,000 employees, an annual budget of US$100 million, three major research laboratories (Langley Aeronautical Laboratory, Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, and Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory), and two small test facilities. Elements of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and the United States Naval Research Laboratory were incorporated into NASA.
NASA’s top management from 1958-1960 was T. Keith Glennan, Administrator (center), Hugh L. Dryden, Deputy Administrator (left), and Richard E. Horner, Associate Administrator (right). This photo, dated March 1, 1960, and probably taken at NASA’s first Headquarters at the Dolley Madison House, also shows the new seal of NASA above Glennan.
Q&A: Vanessa Wyche
Vanessa Wyche joined NASA in 1989 after working for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She is now director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) and the first Black woman to hold the role. Wyche’s other key leadership positions have included deputy director of JSC, director of the Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, flight manager of several missions of the space shuttle, and executive officer in the Office of the NASA Administrator.
This Q&A is based upon a livestreamed event at the Smithsonian National Air & Space museum in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 12, 2023 celebrating Black History Month at NASA. The answers are edited and condensed.
NASA human spaceflight programs
NASA’s spaceflight history has been covered in numerous books, but its notable astronaut programs include:
Project MercuryThe first human spaceflight program that sent single astronauts into space. It sent its first astronaut (Alan Shepard) to space on May 25, 1961, roughly six weeks after the Soviet Union’s Yuri Gagarin.
Project GeminiA set of two-person missions to test technology and procedures ahead of moon landings, deemed a key NASA priority as of 1961. The program performed dockings and spacewalks, among other achievements.
ApolloThis program culminated with the landing of 12 men on the moon, starting with Apollo 11 on July 12, 1969. However, three astronauts were killed during a launch pad fire for Apollo 1 on Jan. 27, 1967, that sparked a lengthy investigation and spacecraft redesigns. The Apollo-Soyuz mission of 1975 saw Americans and Soviets meet in space during a lull in the Cold War.
SkylabThe first American space station included a tricky set of spacewalks to repair Skylab after the facility was severely damaged during launch. Skylab hosted three crews and came down unexpectedly in 1981, mainly in rural Australia.
Space shuttleThe shuttle flew 135 crews and is known for opening up the program at last to women, people of color and international astronauts after decades of restrictions. Two crews of seven astronauts each died: Challenger’s STS-51-L during launch on Jan. 28, 1986, and Columbia’s STS-107 crew during landing on Feb. 1, 2003. The shuttle also was key in developing the ISS, including visits to the Soviet-Russian Mir space station as an early ISS testbed.
International Space StationThe ISS construction began in 1998 and permanent crews on the complex began in 2000. The ISS aims to serve as a testbed for science and for examining human health on long-duration missions. Hundreds of people have served on the ISS; a typical stay is six months, but a handful of NASA astronauts have spent a year on board.
Russian Soyuz seats: The shuttle’s retirement in 2011 led to nearly a decade of dependence on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to access the ISS. NASA paid by the seat to use Soyuz. Dozens of missions went well, although relations periodically deteriorated and one crew experienced a scary (but safe) abort in 2018.
Commercial crew: NASA funded SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner as the first U.S. commercial company crewed spacecraft for the ISS, with SpaceX and Boeing allowed to use the technology for other space matters. The program is still very young. SpaceX sent its first crewed mission to the ISS aboard Dragon in 2020, while Boeing is expected to do the same in 2023 or so.
Artemis programNASA aims to bring humans back to the moon in the 2020s with the Artemis program, with international partners. The uncrewed Artemis 1 flew around the moon successfully in 2021 and a crewed mission, Artemis 2, is expected to follow around 2024. A landing mission, Artemis 3, will launch no sooner than 2025 or 2026.
Related: Four for the moon! NASA names Artemis 2 astronaut crew for 1st lunar mission since Apollo
Introduction to NASA
If you have ever been interested in stars, galaxies, outer space or the study of the universe as a whole, it’s imperative that you have come across the term “NASA”.
NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is a government agency based in the United States,in charge of air, space science and technology.
NASA’s headquarters are in Washington, D.C., where it oversees the NASA Field Centers, develops management rules, and examines all aspects of the ISS (International Space Station) programme.
Since October 4, 1957, when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, we have been exploring outer space. Check exclusive tour at «We are NASA»
This occurred during the Cold War, a time of political enmity between the Soviet Union and the United States. Since then there was a quest to discover the fancy of outer space between nations.
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Additional resources
Read more about NASA’s early days in this . Eilene Galloway, often called «the grand matriarch of space law,» how she came to work for Lyndon B. Johnson and helped him bring NASA into existence.
Bibliography
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2023, June 20.) «Cold War.»
NASA. (n.d., retrieved 2023, June 21.) «NASA 60 Years and Counting: Beginnings.»
NASA. (2023, May 30). «Our Mission and Values.»
NASA Office of Inspector General. (2023, April 20). «NASA’s Efforts to Increase Diversity in Its Workforce.»
NASA. (2023, Jan. 27). «About NASA.»
NASA. (2022, May 6). «LGBTQ Pride Alliance.»
NASA. (2010, Oct. 26). «NACA Overview.»
Future scope in NASA
NASA encourages teachers in preparing kids to become future engineers, scientists, astronauts, and other NASA employees. They are going to be the explorers who continue to explore the solar system and the universe as a whole.
NASA has a long tradition of funding programmes and activities that engage students, educators, families, and communities in the thrill of exploration. Check the video below that describe NASA for students;
Teachers can get training from NASA to discover new approaches to teach science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. NASA always takes special attention to involve students across the globe in NASA’s space missions.
This gets the adrenaline rushing in the veins of all the students and inspires them to become more interested in learning.