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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was inaugurated on 1 October 1958 with the intent of conducting a manned space program. NASA took over the rocketry and propulsion work previously performed by the United States Air Force, Navy, and National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Unmanned launches began during the International Geophysical Year (1957-58) under Air Force auspices and have continued to the present with a wide variety of payloads, including space science, weather, communications, and earth observation satellites. The manned program progressed through Projects Mercury (1959-63; launches 1961-63), Gemini (1962-67; launches 1965-66), Apollo (1960-72; launches 1968-72), and Skylab (1969-74; launches 1973-74). The manned program was supported by a number of unmanned exploration vehicles in the Ranger, Lunar Orbiter, and Surveyor series throughout the 1960s, as well as research into a number of related areas.

 Identifier

NASM.XXXX.0154

Creator

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Space Science and Exploration Department

Date

1950-1974

bulk 1959-1974

Provenance

NASA SS&E, Transfer, 1983, XXXX-0154, unknown

Extent

13.08 Cubic feet ((12 records center boxes))

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of material gathered by the Space Science and Exploration Department, National Air and Space Museum, relating to the United States space program through the Skylab missions. The material consists of photos and reference material covering a wide variety of subjects, including space suits, food, lifting bodies, and other support and auxiliary functions, as well as material directly relating to the missions. The bulk of the material consists of photos and NASA press materials.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Topics

Space vehicles -- Propulsion systems

Rockets (Aeronautics)

Astronautics

Aeronautics

Rocketry

Space suits

Space Shuttle Orbiter

Space flight

Manned space flight

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Manuals

Press releases

Publications

Photographs