NASA Space Age History The Start of the Space Age "An Act to provide for research into the problems of flight within and outside the Earth's atmosphere,

NASANASA

Space Age HistorySpace Age History

The Start of the Space AgeThe Start of the Space Age

"An Act to provide for "An Act to provide for research into the research into the problems of flight within problems of flight within and outside the Earth's and outside the Earth's atmosphere, and for atmosphere, and for other purposes."other purposes."

With this simple preamble, With this simple preamble, the Congress and the the Congress and the President of the United President of the United States created:States created:•National Aeronautics and National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Administration (NASA)(NASA) on October 1, 1958. on October 1, 1958.

So it Begins….So it Begins….

The “Cold War”:The “Cold War”:• After WWII the USA and the USSR were After WWII the USA and the USSR were

locked in a struggle to prove which locked in a struggle to prove which country’s ideas and ways were the best.country’s ideas and ways were the best.

Space RaceSpace Race

During this period, space During this period, space exploration emerged as exploration emerged as a major area of contest a major area of contest and became known as and became known as the the space racespace race..

The first satellitesThe first satellitesOctober 4, 1957 the October 4, 1957 the

Soviets launched Soviets launched Sputnik Sputnik 1, 1, first unmanned satellite first unmanned satellite to orbit the Earth.to orbit the Earth.

The first satellitesThe first satellitesOctober 4, 1957 the October 4, 1957 the

Soviets launched Soviets launched Sputnik Sputnik 1, 1, first unmanned satellite first unmanned satellite to orbit the Earth.to orbit the Earth.

January 31, 1958 the US January 31, 1958 the US launched it’s first launched it’s first unmanned satellite, unmanned satellite, Explorer 1Explorer 1

Sputnik I The LaunchSputnik I The Launch

Explorer IExplorer I

Left to Right: Dr. William Pickering, Dr. James Van Allen and Dr. Wernher von Braunhold aloft a model of Explorer I, the first successful US satellite, launched Jan. 31, 1958.

NASA ProgramsNASA ProgramsMercury Program-Mercury Program- 1 1stst

manned flightsmanned flights

NASA ProgramsNASA ProgramsMercury Program-Mercury Program- 1 1stst

manned flightsmanned flights•Alan Shepard – 1Alan Shepard – 1stst American American

in Space (did not orbit) in Space (did not orbit) May 5, May 5, 1961 1961

NASA ProgramsNASA ProgramsMercury Program-Mercury Program- 1 1stst

manned flightsmanned flights•Alan Shepard – 1Alan Shepard – 1stst American American

in Space (did not orbit) in Space (did not orbit) May 5, May 5, 1961 1961

•Soviets beat us by a few Soviets beat us by a few months- months-

NASA ProgramsNASA ProgramsMercury Program-Mercury Program- 1 1stst

manned flightsmanned flights•Alan Shepard – 1Alan Shepard – 1stst American American

in Space (did not orbit) in Space (did not orbit) May 5, May 5, 1961 1961

•Soviets beat us by a few Soviets beat us by a few months- months- Yuri Gagarin – 1Yuri Gagarin – 1stst man in space man in space on April 12, 1961.on April 12, 1961.

John H. Glenn Jr. became the John H. Glenn Jr. became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth on February 20, the Earth on February 20, 1962. 1962.

John H. Glenn Jr. became the John H. Glenn Jr. became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth on February 20, the Earth on February 20, 1962. 1962.

Gemini ProgramGemini Program – Walk in – Walk in space & dockingspace & docking

John H. Glenn Jr. became the John H. Glenn Jr. became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth on February 20, the Earth on February 20, 1962. 1962.

Gemini ProgramGemini Program – Walk in – Walk in space & dockingspace & docking•June 3, 1965, when Edward H. June 3, 1965, when Edward H.

White, Jr., became the first U.S. White, Jr., became the first U.S. astronaut to conduct a astronaut to conduct a spacewalkspacewalk

Going to the Moon - Project Going to the Moon - Project Apollo Apollo

Apollo Program:Apollo Program: A NASA priority on May 25 1961, when A NASA priority on May 25 1961, when

President John F. Kennedy announcedPresident John F. Kennedy announced "I believe that this nation should "I believe that this nation should

commit itself to achieving the goal, commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth."him safely to Earth."

A direct response to Soviet successes in A direct response to Soviet successes in spacespace

Apollo ProgramApollo Program

Apollo I- Disaster, astronauts Apollo I- Disaster, astronauts burned on launch padburned on launch pad

Apollo 11 – Neil Apollo 11 – Neil Armstrong- 1Armstrong- 1stst man on the man on the moonmoon

Apollo 13 – near disasterApollo 13 – near disaster Oxygen tank burst while in space Oxygen tank burst while in space

causing all involved to get very causing all involved to get very creative in April 1970.creative in April 1970.

Apollo 13 – near disasterApollo 13 – near disaster Oxygen tank burst while in space Oxygen tank burst while in space

causing all involved to get very causing all involved to get very creative in April 1970.creative in April 1970.

Due to the explosion Apollo 13 never Due to the explosion Apollo 13 never landed on the moon. landed on the moon.

Space Shuttle ProgramSpace Shuttle Program

Space Shuttle ProgramSpace Shuttle ProgramReusable space transportationReusable space transportation

Space Shuttle ProgramSpace Shuttle ProgramReusable space transportationReusable space transportationRides piggyback on 747 on Rides piggyback on 747 on

EarthEarth

Space Shuttle ProgramSpace Shuttle ProgramReusable space transportationReusable space transportationRides piggyback on 747 on Rides piggyback on 747 on

EarthEarthDisastersDisasters

Space Shuttle ProgramSpace Shuttle ProgramReusable space transportationReusable space transportationRides piggyback on 747 on Rides piggyback on 747 on

EarthEarthDisastersDisasters

•Challenger exploded shortly Challenger exploded shortly after lift-offafter lift-off

Space Shuttle ProgramSpace Shuttle ProgramReusable space transportationReusable space transportationRides piggyback on 747 on Rides piggyback on 747 on

EarthEarthDisastersDisasters

•Challenger exploded shortly Challenger exploded shortly after lift-offafter lift-off

•Columbia burned on reentryColumbia burned on reentry

Probes – Probes – •Unmanned missions that Unmanned missions that travel farther than humans travel farther than humans go. go.

the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft landed on Mars on July 4, 1997 and explored the surface of the planet with its miniature rover

Probes – Probes – •Unmanned missions that Unmanned missions that travel farther than humans travel farther than humans go. go. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2

launched in 1977 Voyager 2 now in the “heliosheath” (the outer edges of the solar system) – Voyager 1 has left our solar system.

NASA FutureNASA Future

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7526299.stm7526299.stm

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2007/09/24/http://video.nytimes.com/video/2007/09/24/science/space/1194817120962/sputnik-s-science/space/1194817120962/sputnik-s-legacy.htmllegacy.html

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/apollo11/http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/apollo11/ http://www.yourdiscovery.com/video/when-we-http://www.yourdiscovery.com/video/when-we-

left-earth-apollo-11/left-earth-apollo-11/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/

7523460.stm7523460.stm http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/