Which space agency was formed in 1958 to coordinate U.S. space efforts during the Cold War?

• A. NASA
• B. ESA
• C. ISRO
• D. JAXA

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that NASA was created in 1958 to coordinate the United States’ space efforts during the Cold War. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the U.S. moved to unify and expand its space activities under a single government body. The National Aeronautics and Space Act established NASA to conduct civilian space research and to unify and direct the country’s aeronautics and space programs, building on the work of the earlier NACA and other efforts. This consolidation was meant to bolster the U.S. position in the space race against the Soviets. The other options come from outside the United States or from later reorganizations: ESA is European and formed in the 1970s, ISRO is India's space agency formed in 1969, and JAXA is Japan’s space agency formed in 2003.