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Budget of NASA, Year by Year [1970-1979]

The budget of NASA from 1970 to 1979 marks a decade of transition and continued exploration in space science. Building on the success of the Moon landing, this period saw the development and execution of significant missions such as the Viking landings on Mars, the launch of Skylab, America’s first space station, and the inception of the Space Shuttle program. The funding during these years played a vital role in maintaining America’s leadership in space exploration and technology. In this article, we will examine the year-by-year budget of NASA that enabled these groundbreaking achievements and shaped the direction of human spaceflight and planetary exploration.

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Space Exploration Earth from Space Mars Moon Landing Solar System

Budget of NASA, Year by Year [1958-2024]

Have you ever wondered what is the budget of NASA? Charting the course of human history, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has turned science fiction into reality since its establishment on July 29, 1958. With an array of incredible feats, from Moon landings to Mars rovers, NASA has continually pushed the boundaries of space exploration. This journey hasn’t been without its costs, however, and the exploration of NASA’s annual budget from its inception to the present day offers a compelling insight into the financial fuel behind these momentous accomplishments. Here’s the budget of NASA, year by year between 1958 and 2024.

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Space Exploration Earth from Space Mars Moon Landing Solar System

Budget of NASA, Year by Year [1958-1969]

The budget of NASA from 1958 to 1969 represents a crucial period in the history of space exploration. During these transformative years, NASA’s funding saw significant fluctuations, reflecting the national priorities and ambitions of the time. This period marked the inception of the Apollo program, leading to the landmark achievement of putting a human on the Moon in 1969. Additionally, other pioneering missions such as the Mercury and Gemini programs laid the groundwork for human spaceflight. This era also witnessed the launch of various scientific and exploratory satellites. In this article, we will delve into the year-by-year budgetary allocations and how they shaped these historic milestones.

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Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

The first Mercury flyby was performed by Mariner 10 on March 29, 1974

On March 29, 1974, NASA’s Mariner 10 spacecraft has performed the first Mercury flyby in the history of space exploration.

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Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Voyager 1 performed the Jupiter flyby on March 5, 1979

On March 5, 1979, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft performed a Jupiter flyby as it flew within 277,400 kilometers (172,368 miles) of the planet’s cloud tops or 348,890 km/216,790 miles from the center of mass.

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Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Pioneer 10 was launched on March 2, 1972

On March 2, 1972, Pioneer 10, was launched by NASA on top of an Atlas-Centaur rocket (AC-27 / Atlas 3C no. 5007C / Centaur D-1A) to study Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, and its environment.

The mission’s primary goal was to fly by Jupiter and study its atmosphere, magnetosphere, and radiation belts. Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to visit Jupiter and provided scientists with the first up-close look at the gas giant and its four largest moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

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Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Venera 13 became the first spacecraft to record sounds on another planet [Venus] on March 1, 1982

On March 1, 1982, the landing vehicle of the Soviet Union’s Venera 13 spacecraft landed on Venus and became the first spacecraft to record sounds on another planet.

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Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

The first Uranus flyby was performed by Voyager 2 on January 24, 1986

On January 24, 1986, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft performed the first (and as of 2023, the only so far) Uranus flyby in the history of space exploration.

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Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

The first soft landing on Titan was performed by the Huygens spacecraft on January 14, 2005

On January 14, 2005, the Huygens spacecraft, the atmospheric entry robotic probe part of the Casini-Huygens mission performed the first soft landing on Titan. As of 2023, it is the only one accomplished in the outer Solar System and was also the first on a moon other than Earth’s, and the most distant landing ever.

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Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

The first soft landing on another planet (Venus) was performed by Venera 7 on December 15, 1970

On December 15, 1970, the Soviet Union’s Venera 7 spacecraft landed on Venus’ surface and became the first spacecraft to perform a soft landing on another planet. It also transmitted information to Earth for 53 minutes, 23 minutes of them from the Venusian surface, another first in the history of space exploration (the first data transmission from another planet).