The National Aeronautics And Space Administration (NASA)

Although there is disagreement on the precise date that the Space Race began, the moment that it became an important competition that was in the forefront of the minds of everyday Americans is on April 12, 1961 when Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the earth in Vostok 1. (citation). This event created a feeling amongst the American public that the Russians were further ahead in science and technology than the United States, as well as the fear that the Soviets could use their superior technology to be better able to attack the USA from a distance. Shortly after Gagarin’s flight, the United States launched astronaut Alan Sheppard into

The cold war served as a catalyst for the Space Race. The United States and the Soviet Union ran neck and neck to launch their way into Earth’s orbit. The launching of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union placed them in the lead of the race. No sooner than a decade later, Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon, making it one of mankind’s greatest accomplishments. The Apollo program (source B) opened up the vault of a billions of dollars investment.

Look up at the night sky, see the stars, planets and our closest neighbor, the moon. Every human being at one point in his or her life has done this same thing. It is only natural to look up and wonder in awe at whats out there. Human beings are made with an innate desire to expand and explore. In the 1950s when there was no more of Earth to discover, people started looking upwards at the sky to satisfy this internal desire. Hungry for dominance and technological innovation, the United States created NASA and embarked on what would become the greatest voyage in human history. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, space travel and the technology which powered it advanced far beyond what any prior civilization could imagine. Inspiring in humanity hope for a future not on Earth. An analysis of the effects of the NASA space program on the United States reveals a radical shift in educational policies, an influx of new an innovative technologies, and a renewed motivation and hope for the future.

In 1962 soeach, kennedy attempts to persuade the public that America should invest in space exploration in the name of progress and national pride. He argues that america has a responsibillity to be the world's leader in space , so that the mysteries of space will be solved for the good of all. Kennedy stated " I accept it without reservation and with only one obligation to devote every effort of my mind and spirit to lead our party back to victory and our Nation to greatness." Solving the unknown mysteries of our past or future will lead us to victory. Former president John F. Kennedy stated "We are not here to curse the darkness; we are here to light a candle." Only benifical discoveries will happen.

President John F. Kennedy, in an address to Congress in 1961, said “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth” (“Excerpt from an Address”). He inspired people to push the limits of what was possible, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) finally completed his challenge eight years later. The financial burden of such space programs was balanced by an intense desire to learn and discover, which led to advancements across all areas of life. Today, in a time of federal financial struggles, some are calling for an end to NASA’s expensive programs. However, the United States should continue to fund them

For many years, the United States has accomplished many great scientific and technological progress in air and space. NASA has been shown to be one of the leading representatives of these accomplishments and remains a leading force in the research and public interest of space exploration, as well as science and technology in general. More importantly, this exploration has given us a greater perspective of Earth, ourselves, and the universe. In order to thrive in these creations, steps must be taken in order to reach the point of discovery that launches us ahead of other countries. In all, funding on NASA space program by the United States should be raised to revolutionize technology, create major discoveries, prevent hazards in space, and

On January 28, 1986, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the space shuttle Challenger. The launch was held in Cape Canaveral, Florida, at the Kennedy Space Center. The Challenger shuttle carried seven crew members, including pilots, aerospace engineers and a citizen. Unfortunately, after it launched, the space shuttle broke apart and hit the ocean. The failure of the mission traumatized the whole nation. In fact, millions of people watched the shocking tragedy on television. This incident saddened the nation, and President Ronald Reagan appointed some persons from different areas, such as engineers, pilots, politicians and astronauts, to find the cause of this disaster. Although the investigation revealed that the main reason for the disaster was because of technical issues. In actuality, the disaster was caused by the decision to launch, which was driven by political pressures. The focus on political interest over hard science was the reason for the Challenger disaster.

While Russia holds the title for sending the first human into space, Project Mercury was a success and Alan Shepard became the first American to be sent into space. NASA continued on with Project Gemini to further their space flight capabilities in March of 1965. Following this was the famed Apollo mission which would lead to the first manned spacecraft to orbit another body in Apollo 8 and of course the moon landing made on Apollo 11. These giant leaps in human spaceflight would be trailed by the nearly 40-year long Space Shuttle Program. This essential time period brought with it both technological breakthroughs and tragedy. The Challenger space shuttle suffered a failed launch in 1986 that ended in disaster and the loss of all seven crew members. Pushing past this catastrophe, NASA aided in the construction of the International Space Station which combined NASA’s Freedom space station with the Russian Mir-2, European Columbus, and Japanese Kibō.  The ISS is the largest artificial satellite in Earth’s orbit and is a prime example of how far NASA has come since Project Mercury back in

“That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Neil Armstrong. The words that came out of his mouth left an impression on all mankind, and now it’s like the government doesn’t want this to happen again. They cut the budget for space exploration down to a bare minimum. The organization is scraping by with the money they have left and with the little sum they are given. NASA has made advancements in education and technology over many years, and should be rewarded with a higher budget for the next fiscal period.

After Gagarin, it became apparent that the US needed to act fast in order to keep the USSR from claiming victory over America. Project Mercury was quickly set into motion and, after a test flight in March, Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, 1961. It took Shepard a year to orbit the earth, and unfortunately during this time the Soviet Union carried on making highly influential advancements in space exploration. They launched the first two-man and three-man missions to space and the first woman in space was from the USSR all by the time Alan Shepard had fully orbited the earth, February 1962. At this point it was clear that in order to beat the Soviet Union, America would have to be the “first” to achieve something in space.

NASA has taken many giant leaps in spaceflight since Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon: The International Space Station was built, multiple rovers were sent to Mars, a spacecraft has landed on an asteroid, and we even have pictures of Pluto for the first time. NASA has accomplished some incredible projects that have inspired many and benefited the entire world with the research it has found. Unfortunately, it has recently encountered some setbacks that make it nearly impossible for the administration to continue in these ambitions. Due to cost, interests, and efficiency, it is time for the private sector to take control of the future of spaceflight.

Once upon a time there was a kid named Weasel. It was winter with a lot of snow

Space has become a big part of everyday life without anyone realizing it. With a growing understanding of space, people are able to learn new things and send humans and other objects out of the atmosphere and solar system. Space exploration has an important history and future involving advanced technology and engineering.

It then made America create a space program, and as President Kennedy had said in his speech to inspire the American public, “Finally, if we are to win the battle that is now going on around the world between freedom and tyranny…It is time to take longer strides… time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on earth.” (Kennedy 514). Now as then, STEM education is poor, enemies threaten America, and funding for space exploration is meager.

In the early 60s, President John F. Kennedy led America into a space race against the Soviet Union. American men and women across the nation backed this goal, allowing NASA to take great leaps in advancing its space exploration programs. This unified nation fulfilled its goal, and Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. However, since then, America’s space exploration has only declined. Funding for NASA has been drastically cut, thus greatly limiting the opportunities for exploring the cosmos. Understanding and exploring the universe is detrimental to the advancement of the United States and opens the door for vast possibilities. If the government chooses to limits its own advancement, then that responsibility must fall