Historical Guide to NASA and the Space Program

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created in 1958 in the wake of the Space Act. With many hundreds of satellites launched and nearly 200 human spaceflights, NASA has led most US space exploration efforts including the Apollo Moon landing missions, the Skylab space station and the Space Shuttle. NASA now supports the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the Space Launch System and Commercial Crew vehicles. NASA is also responsible for the Launch Services Program which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for unmanned NASA launches.

This...