April 23, 2025
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By whom, when and how was NASA first founded? Successful and failed missions that made history

  • June 15, 2022
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While most of it today is conducted by private companies, going back a few decades, the states were solely responsible for space studies. NASA is, of course, the

While most of it today is conducted by private companies, going back a few decades, the states were solely responsible for space studies. NASA is, of course, the first government agency that comes to mind when talking about space research. The goal of establishing an institution like NASA, which requires high costs to function It was not a scientific curiosity, but a power struggle between countries that affected the whole world at the time.

Although the hot conflicts after World War II were over, there was still a secret battle going on between the US and the Soviets. NASA was founded when this battle, called the Cold War, crossed the borders of the world and spilled into space. NASA since its inception It has completed many missions that allow us to explore the limits of the universe we live in, but at the same time it has not been able to prevent some missions from failing.

The world order in which NASA was founded:

Before proceeding with the creation of NASA, it is useful to take a look at the world order in which this state institution originated. World War II just ended millions of people died He was liberated from the Nazi regime. But the world was divided into two poles. One pole was the capitalist United States and the other pole was the communist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The clash of these two superpowers took place in every field. the US and the Soviets; On the one hand, they tried to pull other countries to their side, on the one hand, they carried out espionage activities, on the other, they tried to beat each other with scientific and technological studies. on October 4, 1957 With the Soviets launching the Sputnik I satellite into space the direction of this battle began to shift into space. The US had to do something.

When and by whom was NASA first founded?

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA for short, in Turkish the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; On July 29, 1958, It was founded by the then President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Before NASA, such aviation activities were conducted by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, established in 1915, NACA for short, in Turkish, by the National Advisory Committee on the Field of Aviation.

The purpose of NASA’s founding was not scientific curiosity, but the implicit battle of the US with the Soviets. Soviet sequential launch of satellites and dogs This left the Americans in a great panic and unable to sleep in case these communists dropped a bomb on our heads from space. Since President Eisenhower was already a World War II commander, he stepped in and quickly founded NASA.

NASA’s primary goal was to show the world that there is American power in space, too. Of course, although the politicians The goal of scientists was to explore the universe we live in. Whatever the reason for its creation, if we look at the work of the institution and contemporary space exploration, it is possible to say that NASA has done and continues to do a lot of successful work.

Some successful NASA missions:

  • Apollo
  • Hubble
  • Viking
  • Chandra
  • Cassini Huygens
  • Spirit and Opportunities
  • spitzer
  • WMAP
  • Voyager
  • Pioneer

Most Successful Missions: Apollo

The Apollo missions will undoubtedly be the first of the most successful missions ever undertaken by NASA. Considering that Apollo 11 sent people to the moon. so what else? Thanks to the information we have obtained as a result of many missions under Apollo, we are getting to know our moon much better today.

We see the farthest reaches of the universe: Hubble

We learned a lot about the space we know today. The Hubble telescope was given to humanity The Hubble mission is also considered one of NASA’s most successful works. Thanks to this mission, we were able to acquire images of points in the universe that we could not even imagine.

First Color Images of Mars: Viking

In July 1976, the Viking 1 probe successfully landed on the surface of the planet Mars. It had surpassed its Soviet rivals. Thanks to this probe, which has been working on the surface of Mars for 6 years and 116 days, we have both unique information about Mars and colored images of Mars.

Supernova Discoveries: Chandra

Founded in 1999, the Chandra Observatory observes space using X-rays. The rays used 100 times more powerful than conventional X-ray telescopes. Thanks to these unique rays, many supernovae have been discovered.

Unique information about Saturn: Cassini-Huygens

The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, a joint project of NASA and ESA, was launched in 1997 and after long reached its target in 2004. He successfully reached the planet Saturn. Since then, we have obtained unique information thanks to the vehicle orbiting Saturn.

Everything we know about Mars: Spirit & Opportunity

Twin spacecraft named Spirit & Opportunity were launched in 2004. landed on planet Mars and they roamed as much as they could for 90 days. Much of what we know about Mars today is due to these twin spacecraft.

It formed the basis of many studies: Spitzer

The Spitzer Space Telescope, which is the foundation of cosmology and astrophysics, was first introduced in 2005. By discovering the light of planets outside the solar system It has given a unique dimension to space studies.

We have learned the age of the universe: WMAP

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, WMAP for short, in Turkish, Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe; Radiation in the Universe after the Big Bang It made it possible to create precise theories to calculate the age of the universe by measuring it in the most accurate way.

They went to places we couldn’t even imagine: Voyager

The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, which were sent on an irreversible space mission years ago, by 2025 they will continue to send signals to us from points in the universe that we cannot even imagine. We owe everything we know about distant planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto to them.

First vehicles to reach Saturn and Jupiter: Pioneer

Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 spacecraft, launched in 1972 and 1973, They are the first to reach Saturn and Jupiter. Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 are the first spacecraft to travel between Mars and Jupiter in the center of the asteroid belt. The information they got was, of course, unique.

Some of NASA’s failed missions:

  • STS-51-L
  • STS-107
  • Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

Spacecraft caught fire: STS-51-L

The event, which went down in history as the Challenger disaster, took place on January 28, 1986. STS-51-L spacecraft launched by NASA, broke up a minute later and all the crew members in it perished.

It started as an innocent fire: STS-107

The event that went down in history as the Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003. Spacecraft STS-107 launched by NASA 7 minutes later a fire broke out. Although it was said not to be a problem, the fire spread and all crew members in the vehicle were killed.

Mysterious gas leak: Apollo-Soyuz test project

Launched into space in July 1975 as part of the Apollo-Soyuz test project, the first joint US-Soviet space study, the rocket was successfully in orbit. If they come back after 44 hours The car turned out to have a nitrogen gas leak. The crew – three Americans and two Russians – were immediately taken to hospital. Fortunately nothing happened to anyone. However, the leak caused considerable controversy.

US government agency that has signed the most important space studies in human history When and by whom was NASA founded? We answered the question and talked about the successful and failed space missions that the institution has carried out. You can share your thoughts on NASA and its work in the comments.

Source: Web Tekno

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