The story of NASA Presented by William Markham
German Rocket Developments WW2 Comet ME 262 V1 flying bomb V2 Rocket Wernher Von Braun
Early history An Act to provide for research into the problems of flight within and outside the Earth's atmosphere, and for other purposes Alan Shepard National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) October 1958 Cold War defense measures against Soviets Spurred on by launch of Sputnik in 1957 John Glenn Von Braun's team engaged in development of large rockets First US satellite launch in 1958 Explorer 1. Projects Mercury (1961-63), Gemini (1965-66) Edward H White JR
Project Apollo (flights during 1968-1972) to explore the Moon Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Edwin Aldrin
Apollo a NASA priority on May 25 1961, with President John F. Kennedy announcement. Some failures - January 27, 1967 fire in Apollo capsule Chaffee, Grissom, White. The Apollo 8 orbited the Moon December 24-25, 1968 July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon Apollo 13 problems, changed vehicles for re entry Apollo 17 December 1972 - last mission
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project - 1975 The first international human spaceflight Joint rendezvous and docking for US and Soviet spacecraft
Exploration of Mars The first successful fly-by of Mars in 1965, Mariner 4 Viking landings in 1976 - first colour panoramas of landscape Failure of 2 thirds of craft sent to Mars eg Mars Observer in 92, Mars 96, Mars Pathfinder lands in 1997, returning many images Mars Exploration Rovers land in 2004 past evidence of water Phoenix landed on the north polar region 2008 Mars Science Laboratory with Rovers - 2012
Images Mars Exploration Project Mars Pathfinder Project
Cassini to Saturn Launched 1997 7 years to Saturn Orbited for 13 years Flyby of Saturn s moons - Enceladus Evidence of atmosphere Collides with surface in 2017 Transmits photos till impact
Saturn Cassini Images Earth Venus Jupiter
Space Shuttle Program Space Transportation System (STS) Enterprise testing in 1977 The Shuttle's first mission, STS-1, took off on April 12, 1981 Take off vertically and glide to landing site Sally Ride- first American woman to fly in space on June 18, 1983 On January 28, 1986 Challenger orbiter explodes - killing 7 Back on track 28 September 1988 February 1, 2003, the Columbia orbiter explodes on re entry - killing 7 Added segments to the International Space Station Collected satellites Last flight in July 2011 - Atlantis
Space Shuttle Disasters January 28, 1986 Challenger explodes 73 seconds after launch February 1, 2003, Columbia explodes on re entry 15 mins before planned landing
Some facets of the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle Vehicles My photo - January 1981
The Hubble Space Telescope Program delayed by Challenger Disaster 1986 Named after Astronomer Edwin Hubble Serviced by Astronauts Launched in 1990 by STS-31 Problem with Lens fixed in 1993 2003 Columbia Disaster 2009 new camera installed Could last until 2030 2040 James Webb Space Telescope for launch in 2018.
Images from the Hubble Telescope Jupiter Crab Nebula Sombrero Galaxy
Eagle Nebula Deep field View - Galaxies
Voyager 1 and 2 Journeys Alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune Happens every 175 years Use of gravity assist propels craft between planets Travel time to Neptune from 30 to 12 years. Launched in 1977 Close up images back to earth Both now in interstellar space Pioneer Craft also sent
Voyager Photos Jupiter Neptune
International Space Station First Module launched 1998 Launched delayed due to Shuttle Disaster 2003 USA Europe, Japan, Canada Designed for Low Earth Orbit 400 kms Conduct Experiments Serviced by Space Shuttle, Soyuz and Proton Now only by Soyuz and Dragon vehicles Divided into 2 sections, US and Russian US funding till 2024 Skylab another NASA program ceased 1978
Inside
Soviet Space Milestones First Satellite 1957 - Sputnik First man in space 1961 - Yuri Gegarin First Man to walk in space 1965 - Alexei Leonov First woman in space 1963 Valentina Treshlakova
Mir Space Station Soviet Space Shuttle - Buran Soyuz supplies International Space Station
More information on NASA Website: www.nasa.gov Facebook Documentaries Books
Films about NASA
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