How NASA was formed...

HOW NASA WAS FORMED

By: Alessia Heiser

On October 3rd 1957, everything changed. Sputnik has just been launched into space! We were in the Cold War, and so we were very hostile with the Russian’s. When Sputnik was launched we had no clue what was going to happen. Considering we had never launched into space, we didn’t know if their space craft has missals or any nuclear weapons. This was a great accomplishment for the Russian’s because this was the first ever satellite sent into space.

The US immediately got to work. We came up with plans to catch up to the Russian’s. Some Worked and some did not. But finally on July 29, 1958 we had created a program called NASA. (National Aeronautics Space Administration) It was the American space program.

We were in the space race with Russia to see who could get into space first. We lost in the beginning, Russia send the first spacecraft, man, and woman into space. But we would not give up! And we felt so much pride to know that the Apollo 11 (that was sent by us) was the first manned spacecraft to reach the moon!!! What is weird is that the Russians launched their spacecraft to go to the moon the same day we did! And on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong reached the moon!

While this was happening, John F. Kennedy gave the USA a very inspiring speech. He said that “We aren’t going to the moon because it is easy; it is because it is hard. And this goal will measure the best of our energy and skills.” And he said that “this challenge is one we are willing to accept and one we are going to win!” This speech inspired the USA and pushed us into going to the moon.

NASA worked very hard to keep us safe and feeling protected. And in the future we are working to achieve goals like going to Mars. But this will be hard because NASA doesn’t get a very big budget. NASA gets a penny for every two dollars the US has. So, we need to make a decision, we could go with Russia and have them send us into space for $82 million. Or we could have private companies like Boeing and SpaceX to build the spacecraft for us, so that Russia won’t control part of our government and so we don’t give them money.

Fear may have been our motivation to go space in the 1960’s, but then courage took over fear and gave us confidence. And Neil deGrasse Tyson said "I don't want students… to just sit in awe of what we don't understand, while we watch the rest of the world boldly go where no mortal has gone before." And what he is saying is that we can do anything, because nothing is impossible, but if you tell people it is, then nothing will be accomplished and minds will be wasted!!!!

Thanks to John F. Kennedy for inspiring the world, we will remember and be inspired from you forever. And thanks to my dad for inspiring me to reach my goals! Right now he is working on the spacecraft to go to Mars! Pretty cool huh?!?! Thanks for everything dad! To the stars!

To the right is my dad, he works at Boeing, and is helping build the spacecraft to go to Mars!