Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is the independent federal agency that evolved from an organization called the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the focus of which was expanding flight capabilities. Founded in 1915, the development of planes became increasingly important with the outbreak of World War II, positioning the United States to generate state-of-the-art aircraft. By the 1940s, its engineers were exploring rocket capabilities, though space exploration was not considered a goal. 

When the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into space in 1957, however, the race for human flight into space was born. Driven by Cold War tensions and fears that the Soviets would use space satellites for spying and expanding its military power, space exploration was considered a necessary advancement in the arms race. In April 1958, NACA was officially disbanded, and its members became the foundation of a new organization: NASA (Arrighi, Robert. “The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics: Overview.” NASA, 11 May 2023). The first seven astronauts (a term coined by combining “aeronauts” and “argonauts”) were introduced to the public one year later, dubbed the “Mercury 7.” In 1961, Alan Shepherd became the first American in space on a flight lasting just 15 minutes in a cone-shaped capsule designed to hold a single person. 

The next significant flight occurred in 1962, when John Glen became the first American to orbit the Earth. From 1958 to 1963, the Mercury crew completed six manned missions. NASA then set its sights on a moon landing, with Project Gemini (1961-1966). It was dubbed the “bridge” to the moon, with missions designed to test out equipment that would ultimately make the moon landing possible. It was with the Apollo missions that the first crewed moon landing took place in July 1969 (Ostover, Michelle. “Human Spaceflight History.” NASA, 12 Aug. 2024)