In October 1957, the former Soviet Union successfully launched the
world's first artificial satellite into Earth orbit. This brilliant
achievement startled the world, and the United States stepped up its
own preparations to launch an artificial satellite. But a month later
another Soviet satellite was launched, Sputnik 2, which carried the dog
Laika. And six months after that the 1.3-ton Sputnik 3 entered orbit,
keeping the Russians one step ahead of the US. The launching of
Sputnik had aroused a clamor on Capitol Hill for an agency that could
coordinate American efforts to overtake the Russians in the race for
space. The US hoped to launch a satellite of their own with a
Vanguard launch vehicle developed by the US Navy, but the attempt
failed. President Eisenhower then directed the Army team, under
Werner von Braun,, to make a launch effort. Three months later, in
January 1958, a Jupiter-C launch vehicle successfully carried the
satellite,- Explorer 1, into orbit. Thus both the Soviet Union and the
United States had advanced into space, be ginning the space
development race between the two countries. Having lost the race to
launch the world's first artificial satellite,, the US hastened its plan to
develop an unmanned Moon probe, hoping to be the first to the Moon.
After the successful Explorer I mission and much urging from
Congress, Eisenhower signed legislation creating the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Eisenhower had
originally opposed the transfer of the space program from the
Pentagon, but the final legislation contained a provision excluding
military space activities from NASA control. Americas first attempt to
reach the moon in August 1958 failed with the explosion of the ThorAble
launch vehicle carrying the first Moon probe Pioneer 0. In the
same year, all the launches of the other Pioneer probes, 1,2 and 3, were
unsuccessful. However the US did win the ultimate race to the moon
on July 20, 1969 when Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot
on the moon's surface, three months after Eisenhower's death.
