The Successful Failure Of NASA

She had to calculate the path and speed Alan Shepherd had to go in order to reach space. On May of 1961, just one month after the Russians sent their first man in space, Alan Shepard went up to space. Now, our second mission is to send someone to orbit Earth.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is one of the leading organizations in space technology and research. In the past 60 years, NASA has sent numerous satellites, telescopes and crew modules into space. Despite drawbacks in launch failures and lack of funding, NASA continues to focus on its mission in space exploration and technological advancement. One of NASA’s projects is to explore deep space, in which entails a manned missions to Mars, exploration of the asteroid belt, and beyond. With these goals in mind, NASA has engineered new rocketry and even created a program to better allocate costs of such conquests. With these new advancements, NASA has created a new age of how space travel is carried out.

The space race was an event that shaped America as we know it, and the man that came up with the idea to control the moon, John F. Kennedy, had a major impact on history. The United States and Russia were competing to land on the moon during a time of tension. NASA’s funding increased to get an man

NASA was the answer to the soviet union's space program. They wanted to one up them by showing how amazing america can be. Funded by the government by Dwight D EIsenhower he saw the potential in it and so did many more presidents after. John F. Kennedy was one of the key people in the program funding by showing that NASA was going to be the first to put a man on the moon. Then, The Apollo project did the impossible beating the soviet union by being the first men to step on the moon. This showed that mankind is capable of so much and we can achieve anything.

Shepard Jr. is the first American man to be launched into space. He was in the Mercury space capsule in a 15 minute suborbital mission (meaning it reaches the atmosphere and falls back on Earth). John H. Glenn Jr. became the first American to orbit Earth on February 20, 1962. After Project Mercury, Project Gemini started. Gemini 4's, Edward H. White Jr. conducted the first spacewalk (when an astronaut get’s out the space vehicle). Project Apollo began to be NASA’S priority in May 25, 1951. President John F. Kennedy announced the plan of launching a man in space to land on the Moon. He used this as a tool to subtly announce the US’s superiority of the Cold War enemies. It took 11 years to carry out. It took $25.4 billion dollars to achieve. This withstood challenges including lives of Roger B. Chaffee, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, and Edward H. White Jr. Jr. after a fire that took place in the Apollo capsule (January 27, 1967). October 1968 they launched different Apollo missions such as Apollo 7 (orbit earth) and Apollo 8 (orbit moon). July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong steps foot on the Moon after Apollo 11 landed with Edwin E. Buzz Aldrin Jr. Michael Collins remained in the capsule. Apollo 13 almost launched however the oxygen tank exploded. Harrison H. Jack Schmitt was a geologist that was chosen to become an astronaut. NASA and the Soviet Union allied to make the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP). It served testing purposes and the crew launched separately,

From the start of the Space Race, the Soviet Union had the United States beat by sending the first satellite, the Sputnik, and the first man, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, into space. However, President Kennedy would not stand by as the Soviet Union began to run away with the space race. Kennedy addressed the nation by consulting Congress to “increase NASA’s budget by nine billion dollars”(Cox). This bold move made by Kennedy enabled the United States to make it to the moon first. Going to the moon first was a much higher feat than simply going into space because it required much more “precision while launching and higher equipped technology to go the extra distance”(Exploring Space). Due to the extra skill required to go to the moon, it showed how by the end of the Space Race the United States had superior technology. Since the Cold War was a fight for Global Power, going to the moon was a significant move for the United States because it showed that they had exceptional machinery. With this admirable technology, it solidified the United States’s reputation as a Global

He understood the need to restore America’s confidence and intended to pass the Soviets. On May 25, 1961, he stood before Congress to deliver a special message on “urgent national needs.” He asked for an additional $7 to $9 billion over the next five years for the space program. Settled upon this goal as a means of focusing and mobilizing the nations lagging space efforts. Within a year, Gus Grissom and Alan Shepard became the first two Americans to travel to space.

The United States was going to send the first people to orbit of the Earth. But first, needed to find men having the courage to go to the unknown. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, also known as NASA, worked tediously on certain standards an astronaut would have to pass. NASA created many physical and mental tests to determine who would be eligible for space exploration. As told, “by late January 1959, a list of 324 eligible men had developed.” Of those three hundred twenty-four candidates, seven were selected to go to space. Gus Grissim, Deke Slayton, John Glenn, Gordo Cooper, Wally Schirra, Scott Carpenter, and James Lovell would soon become known as the Original Seven. Likewise, during the course of this event, the Soviet Union Space Program began working on a new rocket called Lunik 1. Yet, unlike the plans for Sputnik 1 and 2, Soviet Russia had much bigger and creative plans for Lunik 1 to attempt a milestone in history. Instead of having Lunik 1 orbit the Earth, the Soviet Space Program aimed for reaching the moon. Although this was the original plan, the launch did not go as hoped for. Lunik 1 had missed the moon by a few thousand miles. But, as inaccurately assumed, did not seem to be a complete loss for the Soviet Union. For example, “but it missed by 3,728 miles (Schefter, 78). The mission was not a failure, though, because Lunik was able to surpass the distances of all previous satellites and truly enter into space." Once again, the Soviet Union was able to take another step ahead into the Space Race. In addition to the victory of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Space Program was prepared to send the first man into space before the United States. On April 12, 1961, the Soviet Space Program launched Yuri Gagarin into the orbit of Earth. Yuri became known as a cosmonaut, more or less translated to the “sailor of the universe.” Because science was not yet advanced

The space race was a race to see who could do more and get more done in space. It was done against the U.S and the USSR. The USSR was the first to make something orbit the Earth that was the spacecraft Sputnik I. In 1957 USSR launch the Sputnik I it took 98 minutes to make its orbit. It spend 21 days in space before it burned up in the atmosphere. The USSR later launched Sputnik II. It carried the first living thing in space a dog named Laika.The US was going crazy on how Russia has passed them in technology. Almost two years later the US made the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The USSR kept on making successful launches in may 1958 they launch Sputnik III which carried 2 thousand pounds to space. In April 1961 the USSR launched the Vostok I it had the first man to orbit the Earth his name was Yuri Gagarin. A month later the US had the first American to go to space his name was Alan Shepard.

The U.S suffered a major setback when three astronauts died because of the spacecraft catching on fire in a space simulation. The Americans weren't the only ones who had a setback, the Soviets also had a setback when Sergey Korolyov had an unexpected death in January 1966, chief engineer of the Soviet space program. In December 1968 people all over the world saw the Apollo 8 launching, which was the first manned space mission to orbit the moon. Frank Borman, James Lovell Jr., and William Anders were the people who were on the Apollo 8 mission, the main purpose was to orbit around the moon and return back to earth safely. The Apollo 8 mission was a very important part of NASA's accomplishments it also plays a big role in the Apollo 11 mission.

A new space program, Project Mercury, was initiated two years later, during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration. Seven men were selected to take part in the program: Scott Carpenter, Leroy Gordon Cooper, John Glenn Jr., Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton. Project Mercury’s goals were to orbit a manned spacecraft around Earth, investigate the ability of astronauts to function in space, and recover astronauts and spacecraft safely.

The trip around the world continued the “space race” between countries. There were other trips into space later on. One of the major space trips years after Glenn was the “man on the moon.” On July twentieth, nineteen sixty-nine, Neil Armstrong, an American astronaut was the first man to walk on the moon. His famous words are “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Space journeys continued the years following the “man on the moon.” Machines are used to record space by taking pictures in order to obtain more information concerning space.

The Apollo program conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from 1969 to 1972. Led by Dwight D. Eisenhower administration, the goal was to put mankind into space. Later turned over to John F. Kennedy, who stretched for a greater goal of putting the first American on the moon moreover bringing him back safely to Earth. This amalgamation, caused from the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II. Apollo 1 planned to be the first manned mission for NASA. The goal was to go into low Earth orbit to sufficiently test the Apollo Command Module. However, on January 27, 1967 a fire erupted during a launch test within the capsule resulting in the death of Virgil Grissom, Edward White, and Roger

The Space Race Started in 1959 when sputnik 1 was launched into space. This worried all of the American people because they then believed that Soviets could drop a nuclear warhead on America at any given time. The United States then joined the race in January of 1958. The Americans were just barely behind the Soviets. The Soviet Union then sent Luna 1, the first man made object to orbit the sun, into space. Luna 3 then orbits the moon and takes pictures of 70% of its surface before returning to Earth. In 1961 Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth becoming not only the first Soviet in space but more importantly he becomes the first man in space. Alan Shepard, a navy officer from New Hampshire, becomes the first American in space. Once again The Americans are behind the Russians. This all changes 20 days later when President Kennedy makes his famous proclamation to America and says that they will make it to the moon by the end of the decade. The Space race was

Many people have dreamt going to space, but they couldn't. This was a big issue, but Neil Armstrong worked his way up by studying really hard and getting a good job. People wanted to go to space, but couldn't because it was very expensive. But Neil Armstrong showed them the dangers of going to space and influenced them to be cautious. When Neil Armstrong went into space he knew what his job was and he got it done. Space is beautiful, but can be very dangerous if you do not pay attention.