NASA is credited with many achievements in space travel. The Australian Government did not acknowledge that NASA’s Skylab crash-landed on Australian soil. Instead, it fined NASA $400 because of littering.
Nasa was founded in 1958. NASA was formed after the Soviets launched ‘Sputnik 1″ which ignited the space race. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a group that existed prior to NASA’s founding. NACA had a primary purpose of promoting and undertaking research into outer space. NASA initially wanted to compete in the Space Race, but their stated goal is “scientific exploration and discovery of new knowledge for the United States’ and humanity’s benefit.” NASA’s initial program, Project Mercury, was successful in sending humans to space.
NASA finally landed a man in the lunar surface on July 16, 1969. Neil Armstrong walked out first. Edwin ‘Buzz’ AAldrin then followed. Michel Collins also was on this mission, however he stayed on board while Buzz and Neil were landing on Moon. Over 600,000,000 people tuned into the historic landing. This incredible feat was accomplished by 400,000 engineers, scientists and technicians. Nixon, president of the United States had planned an alternative speech for in the event that the mission failed.
Without spacesuits, spacewalks are impossible. Space suits are essential for spacewalks. If not, your lungs can explode and you will lose all your air. If you wanted to buy a space suit, you would have to pay $12,000,000 US. NASA has orange suits that are also called entry and launch suits. This is because astronauts can only use them once they are in space. The bright orange suits used for entry and launch are so that the rescue crews can see the suit after splashdown. Space suits protect against the harsh conditions of space.
NASA is the home of many rockets as well as control centers. Rockets are cylinder-shaped projectiles that can travel a long distance. NASA has developed a rocket that had three tanks to launch it in orbit. When the fuel runs out, two white tanks will separate from an external orange tank. The California Science Centre has the venture ship and external tank in their launch position. NASA has many NASA control centres. Washington DC is one of them, as well as Houston in Texas. It is from this famous line in Apollo 13 that “Houston, We Have a Problem” comes.
NASA actually gets only a sliver of a cent for every dollar taxed. NASA has some smart people working for them. Lonnie Johnson, who was employed by NASA, is the inventor of the ‘Super Soaker. NASA’s goal is to have humans on Mars in 2030.
