On July 29, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Public Law 85-568 that established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). T. Keith Glennan was sworn in as the first administrator of NASA on Aug. 19, and on Oct. 1, the new agency began operation with the mission to perform civilian research related to space flight and aeronautics.
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center has played a pivotal role in NASA's mission, having been the departure site for the first human journey to the Moon; the starting point for hundreds of scientific, commercial and applications spacecraft; and as the base for space shuttle launch and landing operations. Explore a chapter of U.S. history written by NASA and brought to life at the Kennedy Space Center through the milestones presented on these Web pages.
