History Today: The day Nasa was born

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) is behind some of the biggest and most groundbreaking space research done over the years. It was officially established on July 29, 1958, when US President Dwight D Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law.

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On this day in 1921, Adolf Hitler formally became the leader of the Nazi Party, which ultimately plunged the world into one of the most destructive periods of war. In 1981, then Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

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Here is all that happened on this day.

Nasa was founded

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) was officially established when US President Dwight D Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law on July 29, 1958.

Nasa was founded in response to the growing competition with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The launch of Sputnik 1 by the USSR in October 1957 had shocked the United States and sparked fears of falling behind in space and missile technology. The US needed a coordinated national effort to compete, and Nasa became that answer.

Nasa effectively absorbed the existing National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (Naca), which had been established in 1915 to conduct aeronautical research. Naca’s expertise, personnel, and facilities formed the core of the new space agency. Elements from other military programs, such as the Army Ballistic Missile Agency’s rocket development under Wernher von Braun, were also transferred to Nasa.

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In its early years, Nasa focused on human spaceflight, leading to the famed Mercury and Gemini missions. These paved the way for the Apollo program, which culminated in the historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the Moon. While the Act was signed on July 29, 1958, Nasa officially opened for business on October 1, 1958.

Hitler became the head of the Nazi party

In one of the most defining moments in history, Adolf Hitler officially became the leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party). His rise to power within the party would set in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to World War II and the Holocaust.

Hitler had joined the German Workers’ Party in 1919, shortly after Germany’s defeat in World War I. His oratory skills, propaganda instincts, and fiery nationalism quickly made him a standout figure. The party changed its name in 1920 to the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), and Hitler began shaping its message around extreme nationalism, anti-Semitism, and anti-communism.

By mid-1921, internal disagreements threatened the party’s cohesion. Hitler, already popular with the party’s rank and file, delivered an ultimatum: he would only stay if he was granted full control as chairman. The party leadership relented, and on July 29, 1921, he was officially appointed Fuhrer (leader) of the Nazi Party.

This ascension allowed Hitler to centralise power, eliminate internal dissent, and transform the party from a small, local group into a highly organised and disciplined political force. It paved the way for the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, his subsequent imprisonment where he wrote Mein Kampf , and ultimately, his appointment as Chancellor of Germany in 1933, leading to the establishment of the Third Reich.

Prince Charles married Lady Diana

It was on July 29, 1981, that nearly 750 million television viewers worldwide witnessed the ‘wedding of the century’ - the marriage of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer . The wedding took place at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, a venue chosen for its capacity and grandeur.

Diana, just 20 years old, arrived in a horse-drawn carriage wearing an elaborate ivory silk taffeta gown designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The dress, with its 25-foot train, became instantly iconic and set bridal fashion trends for years.

Attended by 3,500 guests, Britain declared it a national holiday. The event was broadcast in over 70 countries, symbolising not just a union of two individuals, but a spectacle of tradition, glamour, and royal continuity.

At the time, the public viewed their marriage as a fairy tale with an aristocratic young woman marrying a future king. However, beneath the surface, cracks were already forming.

This Day, That Year

• On this day in 2005, scientists formally announced the discovery of what was believed to be the 10th planet, later named Eris.

• The International Atomic Energy Agency was created in 1957.

• Albania was formally recognised by the major European powers as an independent principality in 1905.