Eisenhower created NASA in order to compete with the Soviet Union.
NAS A was created shortly after the Soviet Union successfully launched the satellite Sputnik I into orbit. The success of the Soviet Union's space expeditions caused Americans, especially the federal government, to fear what capabilities the Soviet Union had. To combat this, Eisenhower creates NASA so that the United States can explore space and have as much success as the Soviet Union. This organization would be critical over the next decade, as the work of NASA resulted in the US landing on the Moon in 1969.
