National Aeronautics & Space Administration and similar items

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS SPACE ADMINISTRATION 'NASA' Challenge Coin. This is a great looking National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Commemorative Challenge Coin. Coin reveals Air Force Space Command emblem on the front with it's motto "Guardians Of The High Frontier" across the top and the U.S. Air Force Emblem on the reverse. Coin is about 1 9/16" in diameter. All details are raised lettering and gold plated. Coin is contained in an acrylic air tight holder. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established NASA in 1958 with a distinctly civilian, rather than military, orientation encouraging peaceful applications in space science. The National Aeronautics and Space Act was passed on July 29, 1958, disestablishing NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee fro Aeronautics (NACA). The new agency became operational on October 1, 1958. Since its establishment, most US space exploration efforts have been led by NASA, including the Apollo Moon landing missions, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the Space Launch System and Commercial Crew vehicles. The agency is also responsible for the Launch Service Program which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for unmanned NASA launches.