NASA Established -- National Aeronautics and Space Act Signed into Law

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law, establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a civilian agency responsible for the nation's space program. NASA began operations on October 1, 1958, absorbing the former National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and its 8,000 employees, three major research laboratories, and annual budget of $100 million. The agency was created in direct response to the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik and the perceived need for a coordinated U.S. space effort.