1. Space Exploration
Early History of NASA

2. Before NASA Had beginnings in both scientific and military pursuits
After WWII, we began serious research into the fields of rocketry and upper atmospheric sciences to make sure America was the leader in technology

3. Wernher Von Braun Born in Germany
He worked for the German Army and became a member of the Nazi party
His work on long-range missiles was used by the Nazis as weapons
He developed the first combustion engine
Necessary invention for space travel
When the Nazis lost, his team decided to surrender to America in May 1945
He became one on NASA’s leading scientists
Many say that without Von Braun we never would have made it to the moon

4. President Eisenhower was the
first to approve satellites
in space
We were to send a satellite into orbit to gather information and data about Earth
Quickly, the Soviet Unions started their own efforts to send their own satellite into space.

5. Who was the first country to send a satellite in space?
Soviet Union!
On October 4, 1957 called
Sputnik
-It remained in orbit until 1958
United States launched their
first on January 31, 1958,
called Explorer 1
-It remained in orbit until 1970

6. In the beginning… NASA =
National
Aeronautics
Space
Administration
The NASA space program became official on October 1, 1958 in response to the Soviet Union Crisis

7. In the beginning, NASA had:
8,000 employees
$100 million annual budget
3 major research facilities
2 testing facilities
After awhile, NASA incorporated other organizations into their program:
Naval Research Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Army Ballistic Missile Agency

8. Animals in Space???
Before sending humans, we sent animals into space to see what effects it would have on a living creature
Soviet Union sent Laika, a dog
from a homeless shelter
On Sputnik II – 2nd rocket in orbit
Laika died of overheating 
Became an icon in Russia
United States sent Albert, a
monkey
Albert died of suffocation 
Animal Rights didn’t start until the 70’s

9. First Man in Space Who was first to send man into space??
Soviet Union!
Yuri Gagarin was first in space on April 2, 1961
On May 5, 1961 the U.S. sent
their first, Alan B. Shephard Jr.
into space
(his mission lasted 15 minutes)

10. First man to orbit Earth?
United States astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. orbited the Earth.
He circled the globe 3 times and it took 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds

11. Mission to the Moon
President Kennedy created the Apollo missions to put man on the moon.
He made a famous speech to the nation about his goals for NASA

12. Required a lot of effort:
Cost $25.4 billion
Lasted 11 years
3 lives were lost
Apollo 1 mission: a fire on the ship during tests killed 3 astronauts
(Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Edward H White, and Roger B. Chaffee)

13. First Country (and only) on the Moon?
United States!
The crew of Apollo 11:
Neil Armstrong
Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin
Michael Collins
Launched on July 16, 1969
Took them 4 days to get to the moon

14. First Step on the Moon July 20, 1969 by Neil Armstrong
Anyone near a TV was watching:
Fun Fact: With their suits on, on Earth the astronauts weighed ~350 lbs.

15. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were on the moon for 2.5 hours
They collected 47 pounds of moon rock
Conducted multiple experiments
Placed a flag on surface of moon
It was knocked over by the Lunar Module’s exhaust from lift off 

16. Arrived back on Earth on July 24, 1969
Called “Splashdown”
Apollo spacecraft didn’t have a way to land on Earth, so the pod would detach and they would fall and drop into the ocean. Coast guard would pick them up.
There were 5 more trips to the moon.
Last man to leave the moon was on board Apollo 17 in 1972.