Humans have always been reaching for the stars, but despite the path to the moon laid out by Jules Verne, they first needed to master flight.
As part of the Cold War arms race, the United States found itself engaged in the Space Race, pushing for superiority through technology
John F. Kennedy laid out the most ambitious Space Race goal in 1961 - for NASA to send the first humans to the surface of the moon and return them safely
Culminating in the Apollo 11 landing, the Apollo missions were crowning achievements not just for NASA and the United States, but also for mankind.
Having essentially won the Space Race with the Soviet Union, and in the midst of economic turmoil, NASA's priorities are restructured. Apollo 17 marks the end of manned missions to the moon, and the transition towards more Earth-focused missions.
NASA's space shuttle program allows for easier access to orbit with reusable craft, paving the way for more advanced satellites and the first major space stations.
The International Space Station is launched in the 21st Century, marking a major turning point in international cooperation in space exploration. However, with the looming retirement of the space shuttle and a suitable replacement project mothballed, modern NASA is faced with major challenges. But successful Mars rovers fuel dreams of another moonshot project, this time to the Red Planet.