In 1958, a scientist works on preparing a rocket for launch.
Welcome to Hotel NASA. Here's a bedroom at NASA in 1950.
1959: Astronauts on the Project Mercury mission — the first human spaceflight mission ever. We were working on beating the Russians then.
A Project Mercury astronaut trains in a water tank, practicing escape after landing.
A NASA dining room and lounge in 1950.
In 1959, astronaut John Glenn trains in a model spaceship.
Here in 1950, engineers test out a NASA vehicle for lunar missions.
At Langley in 1959, an astronaut trains on a hydraulic orbital altitude simulator.
A Project Mercury astronaut looks over his spacesuit.
Chairs are molded to each astronaut.
Studying alpha rays at NASA in 1957 when there was still interest in developing nuclear-powered aircraft.
In the '40s and '50s NASA actively recruited women for computing work. Here, in 1952, a female employee is at work at Langley Research Center.
In 1959, the wives of the Project Mercury astronauts pose for a photo.