10 Unforgettable NASA Photos Of Historic Moments In Human Space Travel

Alarmed by the Soviet Union's launching of Sputnik in 1957, the United States immediately stepped up its aerospace programs. By July 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced thecreation of an Americancivilian space program that would specialize in aeronautics and aerospace research. It would be run by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Since this time, NASA has captured the imagination of the nation and the world while pushing the boundaries of aeronautics. Check out these 11 NASA photos of historic moments in human space travel.

Scientists Theorizing About Space Travel

Scientists have long theorized about how humans could travel into space. But it was not until 1924 that Dr. Robert Goddard, a professor at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, developed a complete theory that could explain how this could happen. His work helped to launch the first rockets into space.