|
When a search on "NASA founder" proved too broad, we decided to jettison the search tactic and go straight to the agency's official site for a little in-depth exploration. On the front page of the site, we reviewed our options then chose the "About NASA" link. After following a myriad of links, we learned the following: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is a scientific endeavor that was created at least partly in response to a sense of fear and competition. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man-made satellite. Its successful launch was a huge scientific and technological achievement that
gave the Russians a leg up and jump-started the space race. This was at the height of the Cold War, and the United States feared that the Russians could use their new technology for military purposes. Aside from the fear factor, the U.S. simply did not like being left in the dust. The public "crisis of confidence" is summed up in this poem by G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams, the governor of Michigan: Oh little Sputnik, flying high
With made-in-Moscow beep,
You tell the world it's a Commie
sky
and Uncle Sam's asleep. Less than a month later, the Soviets launched Sputnik 2, carrying Laika, the space dog. The United States Congress moved quickly. On July 29, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. It formally established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on October 1, 1958, headed by T. Keith Glennan. The agency's official mission was: "To provide for research into problems of flight within and outside
the Earth's atmosphere, and for other purposes." Up to this point, most aerospace technology was handled by the military, but the new civilian agency took over. NASA absorbed the former National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which was founded in 1917. So to give you a direct answer to your question, NASA was founded by Dwight D. Eisenhower and Congress. Then again, some people mistakenly believe that JFK deserves the credit.
|
