What is "National Aeronautics and Space Administration"

Brief introduction of NASA

Brief introduction to history: the space race

Space program

Present situation and future

research subject

research field

Brief introduction of NASA's institutional setup

Brief introduction to history: the space race

Space program

Present situation and future

research subject

research field

organization structure

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States is the government agency in charge of the space program in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with the most advanced space technology, it has made great achievements in manned space flight, aeronautics and space science. It has participated in aerospace projects, including the Apollo program of the United States, the launch of the space shuttle and the exploration of the solar system. It has made great contributions to human exploration of space.

[Edit this paragraph] Introduction of NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a government agency of the US federal government, which is responsible for the US space program. 1958 On July 29th, President Eisenhower signed American Public Law 85-568 (National Aviation and Space Act) and established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1 9581October1NASA was formally established. Headquartered in Washington, DC. The mission and vision of NASA is to "improve life here, extend life there and find a farther life". The goal of NASA is to "understand and protect the planet we live in; Explore the universe and find life outside the earth; Enlighten our next generation to explore the universe (understand and protect our home planet, explore the universe and find life, and inspire the next generation of explorers [1]).

NASA is widely regarded as the leader of space agencies in the world. At that time, according to the president's executive order, all non-military rocket and space programs under the Ministry of National Defense were incorporated into NASA, including the ongoing Pioneer Program and Explorer Program, as well as all scientific satellite programs in the United States. Three laboratories of the former National Aviation Advisory Committee (NACA): Langley Research Laboratory, Lewis Research Laboratory and Ames Research Laboratory were merged into NASA and renamed Langley Research Center, Lewis Research Center and Ames Research Center. The flight laboratory at Edward Air Force Base was renamed as the Flight Research Center, and the naval research laboratory related to Pioneer Project was partially assigned to NASA. The Goddard Space Flight Research Center was established in Maryland. 1In June, 960, he took over the Army Ballistic Missile Bureau led by Wernher wernher von braun, and established the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville to be responsible for the research plan of large launch vehicles. Later, NASA also adjusted and established Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center and Spacecraft Center. Now, NASA has become the pioneer of all space flight and human space exploration in the world. In addition to the space program, NASA also conducts long-term civil and military aerospace research.

[Edit this paragraph] Historical introduction

Space race

After the former Soviet Union successfully sent the first artificial satellite Sputnik-19571October 4, the attention of the United States shifted to the development of its nascent space industry. The US Congress was shocked by the satellite crisis and demanded that the government take immediate action. However, President Eisenhower and his advisory group thought it should be considered more carefully. After months of deliberation, they think it is necessary to establish a brand-new government agency to lead all non-military space operations.

The first American artificial satellite "Explorer I" was launched on June1958+1October 3 1. On July 29th of the same year, President Eisenhower signed the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which was formally established in June 1958+ 10/. NASA is a research institution with a history of 46 years, four experimental institutions of the National Aviation Advisory Committee and 80 members. The German rocket program was led by Werner Werner wernher von braun, a former German rocket expert who moved to the United States after the war. He made great contributions to the United States' entry into the space race and was known as the father of the American space program. Part of the Army Ballistic Missile Bureau and the Naval Research Laboratory are also incorporated into the organization of NASA.

Space program

The red glare of the rocket

Gemini project

Apollo program

skylab

space plane

International Space Station (in cooperation with Russia, Canada, Europe, Russian Space Agency and Japan Space Development Agency)

Constellation plan

In the original plan, the Apollo program was launched after the end of the project mercury and Gemini programs, with the aim of doing "interesting" work in space and even sending astronauts to the moon orbit (not going to land on the moon). In his speech on May 25th, 196 1, President Kennedy claimed that the United States would "send an astronaut to the moon and bring it back safely" before 1970, which made the Apollo program adjust rapidly. The Apollo program became a manned moon landing program. Gemini soon became a mission to provide auxiliary spacecraft technology for the much more complicated Apollo program.

Aldrin (Apollo 1 1) walked on the surface of the moon, including the first death of an American astronaut in Apollo 1 and apollo 8's feat of flying around the moon for the first time. After eight years of preliminary preparation, Apollo planned to send neil armstrong and buzz aldrin to the moon on July 20th, 1969. After getting out of the lunar module, Armstrong said, "This is a small step for human beings and a big step for all mankind." As of 1972, a total of 12 astronauts have successfully landed on the moon.

NASA won the race to land on the moon, but in a sense, it lost its direction, at least lost public attention and interest, in order to keep Congress approving the high budget. After President Johnson stepped down, NASA lost its main political support, and rocket scientist Werner wernher von braun was sent to Washington to lobby politicians. As a follow-up plan, the idea of establishing a space station and a lunar base before 1990 and landing on Mars by astronauts was put forward, but the equipment used in Saturn rocket and Apollo program could not support these goals. The explosion of Apollo 13 oxygen cylinder almost crashed, almost killing all three astronauts, which attracted the attention and attention of the whole country. Although the Apollo program was arranged until Apollo 20, Apollo 17 ended her mother program. The plan was terminated due to budget constraints (partly due to the high expenditure in Vietnam War) and plans to build reusable spacecraft.

Present situation and future

Some critics, including Mark Wade, point out that NASA's manned flight plan is at a standstill. The spacecraft used in the Apollo program and Saturn program, which the US government spent billions of dollars to complete, have not been used since 1970. Although the budget of NASA was greatly reduced after the Apollo program, the bureaucracy in the organization has not changed, resulting in serious extravagance and waste, and the equipment has not been kept in the best condition.

Florida, USA: Photographed in NASA's Space Program (STS-95),199810/0/3 October1At present, NASA's manned space program still relies on the space shuttle. The mission of the space shuttle includes transporting major building components and materials for the International Space Station under construction. In two major accidents in 1986 and 2003, two space shuttles were destroyed, resulting in the death of 14 astronauts. Among them, Challenger, which crashed at 1986, was a space shuttle pieced together with replacement parts. In 2003, Columbia made Americans lose confidence in the future of the space shuttle. At present, NASA is not considering building a new replacement space shuttle, but developing a new Oren program.

Problems in NASA's plan led to the stagnation of the International Space Station program. According to the original plan, the International Space Station should carry seven astronauts in 2005, but now there are basically only two astronauts, so many planned research projects have been postponed. Other countries (such as the European Space Agency) that have invested heavily in the International Space Station project are also worried that the International Space Station will end in failure like a space laboratory. At the same time, the contributions of European countries and Japan to the International Space Station are also behind schedule.

In 2004, the U.S. government proposed a crew exploration aircraft program to replace the spacecraft, so that NASA could send astronauts to the moon again. This plan later evolved into the present O 'Ryan plan.

[Edit this paragraph] Research topic

1957 A few days after the launch of the first artificial earth satellite in the Soviet Union, the United States established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which played an important role in the development of American space industry. NASA has a wide range of research topics, mainly aerospace. The research topics in aviation mainly include supersonic technology and aircraft energy-saving technology. In aerospace, we mainly cooperate with several large-scale projects, such as Apollo program, Sky Lab and Space Shuttle. It maintains close relations with research institutions, universities and industrial enterprises of the Ministry of National Defense through scientific research projects, contracts and plans. It has more than a dozen research centers and laboratories, such as Goddard Space Center, Kennedy Space Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. But more than 80% of scientific research work is entrusted to all units outside the bureau. The research results are published in the form of NASA publications. Publications include technical reports, technical descriptions, contract user reports, technical memoranda, technical translations, special publications, etc.

At present, NASA's annual budget is $654.38+0.6 billion, and its headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. ... In addition to its space program, NASA also conducts long-term civil and military aerospace research. NASA is widely regarded as the leader of space agencies in the world.

[Edit this paragraph] Research field

NASA is engaged in research fields: aviation research and exploration, including space science (solar system exploration, Mars exploration, moon exploration, cosmic structure and environment), earth science research (earth science, earth science application), biophysics research, and aviation (aviation technology), and undertakes certain training projects.

[Edit this paragraph] Institutional settings

Institutional setup of the Jet Power Laboratory: The Washington headquarters of NASA is the highest management institution. There are Ames Research Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -ARC), Dryden Flight Research Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -DFRC), Glenn Research Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -GRC), Goddard Space Research Institute (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -GISS), Goddard Space Flight Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -GSFC), Independent Certification and Appraisal Institute (NASA-IVVF) and Jet. Kennedy Space Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -KSC), Langley Research Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -LRC), Marshall Aviation Flight Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -MSFC), Stannis Space Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -SSC), Wallop Flight Research Institute (National Aeronautics and Space Administration -WFF) and Baisha Experimental Research Institute (NASA-WST F).