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Essential Question: Did the formation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its

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Essential Question: Did the formation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its programs positively affect the people of the United States?

On October 1st, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formally opened its doors for advancements in space and atmospheric research. After the launch of the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1, Earth's first artificial satellite, on October 4th, 1957, United States President, Dwight D. Eisenhower asked his science advisor, Dr. James Killian, to research the best process to develop a national space program. Killian presented many proposals to Eisenhower, who eventually approved Killian's proposal of instituting a civilian space agency built around the militaristic …show more content…

As a consequence of the tensions between the superpowers, "NASA's birth was directly related to the pressures of national defense." (Garber and Launius, 2005). The launch of the Soviet spacecraft created an idea in the United States that the Soviets were far more technologically advanced. To counter this thinking, the US government created NASA and it marked the beginning of the space race. The reasons for the formation of NASA listed in the National Aeronautics and Space Act differ from the primary reason listed above. In the bill, it states the space program will contribute to the following objectives: "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." (National Aeronautics and Space Act, 1958). Though these reasons differed from the primary force behind the creation of the agency, all were factors to decide upon its formation.

How did NASA's programs affect the people? NASA created technologies that were

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