National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

The era of space exploration began in 1957, when the Soviet Union launched the first

satellite, Sputnik, into Earth orbit October 4, 1957. The Soviet also were the first to launch a

manned spacecraft when Yuri Gagarni, made one orbit around the Earth in 1961. Americans

were electrified by the news. A year later the Soviets issued an ultimatum that the Western

Allies evacuate Berlin. Next came a proposal that Berlin become a free city. There waere fears

that the Cold War of coexistence could turn into a world war.

America also had goals they wanted to fulfil. A year later the United States Congress

passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act to promote and coordinate the United States

space program. In 1958 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was established,

commonly referred to NASA. Shortly after NASA's founding, the launching site at Cape

information support are the Deep Space Network, the Space flight Tracking and Data Network,

Collins remained in the moon-orbiting command module. Apollo 13, the third mission planned

Gemini 7, in which Frank Borman and James A. Lovell, Jr., set a space-flight endurance record

them out. It also coordinates activities with other agencies to prevent duplication of effort.

was heard, and electrical power failed in Odyssey. Swigert radioed Mission Control in Houston,

mission began. A recovery team from the aircraft carrier USS Iwo Jima picked up the astronauts

Since it was founded, NASA has had many striking successes and at least two unfortunate

On Jan. 28, 1986, after 24 successful launches, the shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds

flight, on May 5, 1961, in a one-man Mercury spacecraft carried him 115 miles above the Earth.

by the United States to land men on the moon. The mission nearly ended in tragedy. An

John W. Young and Robert Crippen. The next three flights carried payloads to demonstrate the

transcontinental speed record from Los Angeles to New York. He still flies his own plane, and

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Approximate Word count = 3507
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page double spaced)