On this day in history, July 29, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This legislation was a direct response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, in October 1957.
The fear of ceding control of space to the Soviets quickly dissipated as NASA executed the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs, culminating in the historic landing of American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon on July 20, 1969.
Since the end of the Apollo program in 1972, no human has set foot on the moon. The creation of NASA stands as one of Eisenhower’s greatest achievements, alongside his leadership in World War II and his presidency, which brought peace, prosperity, and global hegemony to America.
Eisenhower’s legacy includes ending the Korean War, creating the U.S. Interstate Highway System, and signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957. In 1958, he inspired a new era of human exploration, solidifying American dominance in space and ushering in a period of unparalleled exploratory achievement.
