4 ms·

NASA et al were true pioneers in uncharted territories with no prior guiding principles. Without them, a lot of current gen tech wouldn't even exist. Plus, reme

NASA et al were true pioneers in uncharted territories with no prior guiding principles. Without them, a lot of current gen tech wouldn't even exist. Plus, remember they operated in times where you mostly used slide rules and hand calculations!

soperj 8y ago
Well Russia was there first for everything except the Moon, so not quite uncharted.
- adventured 8y ago
  That's a large exaggeration. Russia deserves credit for what it did. It was not first for everything except the Moon. NASA firsts: first meteorological satellite, first orbital navigation satellite, first private satellite launch, first interplanetary spacecraft and planetary flyby (Mariner 2), first spacecraft to scan another planet (Mariner 2), first geostationary satellite, first successful flyby and images of Mars (Mariner 4), first docking of two spacecraft (Gemini 8), first photos of Earth from the Moon, first spacecraft to orbit another planet (Mariner 9), first spacecraft to visit both Mercury and Venus (Mariner 10), first successful mission to the surface of Mars (Viking 1), numerous scientific firsts related to the Sun (Pioneer spacecraft), first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt and fly beyond Mars (Pioneer 10), first spacecraft to flyby Jupiter (Pioneer 10), first spacecraft to flyby and study Saturn (Pioneer 11), first flyby of Uranus (Voyager 2), first to flyby Neptune (Voyager 2), first manned spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, first manned mission to orbit the Moon, farthest away humans have ever traveled from Earth (Apollo 13), first manned mission to land on the Moon, first spacecraft to leave the solar system (Voyager 1), first spacecraft to flyby Pluto, first space telescope. The list continues...
- umichguy 8y ago
  When I said "et al," I meant NASA and the contemporaries in other countries including the Soviets.

soperj 8y ago

Well Russia was there first for everything except the Moon, so not quite uncharted.

adventured 8y ago
That's a large exaggeration. Russia deserves credit for what it did. It was not first for everything except the Moon. NASA firsts: first meteorological satellite, first orbital navigation satellite, first private satellite launch, first interplanetary spacecraft and planetary flyby (Mariner 2), first spacecraft to scan another planet (Mariner 2), first geostationary satellite, first successful flyby and images of Mars (Mariner 4), first docking of two spacecraft (Gemini 8), first photos of Earth from the Moon, first spacecraft to orbit another planet (Mariner 9), first spacecraft to visit both Mercury and Venus (Mariner 10), first successful mission to the surface of Mars (Viking 1), numerous scientific firsts related to the Sun (Pioneer spacecraft), first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt and fly beyond Mars (Pioneer 10), first spacecraft to flyby Jupiter (Pioneer 10), first spacecraft to flyby and study Saturn (Pioneer 11), first flyby of Uranus (Voyager 2), first to flyby Neptune (Voyager 2), first manned spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, first manned mission to orbit the Moon, farthest away humans have ever traveled from Earth (Apollo 13), first manned mission to land on the Moon, first spacecraft to leave the solar system (Voyager 1), first spacecraft to flyby Pluto, first space telescope. The list continues...
umichguy 8y ago
When I said "et al," I meant NASA and the contemporaries in other countries including the Soviets.