Schuyler Gock Future of Space Program Exploration Essay 3/31/17

NASA was created on July 29, 1958, as a result of the space race between USA and the Soviet

Union in the 1950s. It was made to perform civilian research related to aeronautics and space

flight. President Dwight D. Eisenhower commissioned Dr. T. Keith Glennan as the first

administrator for NASA and Dr. Hugh L. Dryden as the deputy administrator. Project Echo was

launched on Aug. 12, 1960 as the U.S.'s first passive communications satellite for NASA. NASA

began operations nearly two years earlier on Oct. 1, 1958 for the launch. NASA, is responsible

for unique scientific and technological achievements in human space flight, aeronautics, space

science, and space applications that have had huge impacts on our country and the world. NASA

stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

In the beginning, America had its first human spaceflight program called Mercury which

introduced the nation to its first astronauts. The Gemini missions paved the way from Mercury to

Apollo. The accomplish of the lunar mission of Apollo intrigued the world. The Apollo-Soyuz

Test Project was the first shared effort between the U.S. and Russia. This made history for the

world and the Apollo-Soyuz mission began at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Skylab was Americas first Space Station. The Skylab provided a detailed study of our planet

from the unmatchable advantage of the skys orbit. The Skylab also proved that humans could

live, work, and study in space for long periods of time. The first true aerospace vehicle was the

space shuttle which changed the face of space flight for the world. Space Shuttle Columbia was

the first space orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle fleet. It was launched for the first time on mission

STS-1 on April 12, 1981, as the first flight of the Space Shuttle Program. This made for big

achievements in the world and the Space Program.

 There has been so many huge developments and breakthroughs over the last 10 years. Some of

the current space developments right now are; scientists found two planets about as big as the

Earth lingering beyond Pluto in our solar system, in a discovery that may be truly revolutionary

for astronomy. Another huge discovery is after much deliberating , NASA finally confirmed

that the Martian surface of Mars does truly have liquid water running on it, which could

potentially bring hope for the discovery of life on the red planet. In my opinion many things have

been changed and some things even disproven; as in Pluto not being a planet anymore but I also

believe that as the space program continues to grow there will be more awesome discoveries:

like all of the other moon recently found orbiting Earth.