On July 29, 1958. NASA was created.
Sputnik’s launch left egg on the faces of the US government and they responded.
NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union’s October 4, 1957 launch of its first satellite, Sputnik I. The 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the earth in 98 minutes. The Sputnik launch caught Americans by surprise and sparked fears that the Soviets might also be capable of sending missiles with nuclear weapons from Europe to America. The United States prided itself on being at the forefront of technology, and, embarrassed, immediately began developing a response, signaling the start of the U.S.-Soviet space race.
In a speech by JFK, in 1961, he proclaimed we will make it to the moon, and we did.
I think.
Just kidding. I watched the moonwalk at my grandparents when I was a child. I almost slept through it, but woke up in time.
Open thread.