Final answer:
During the 1950s, the U.S. Air Force developed the necessary ground-based infrastructure for space and missile programs following the Soviet launch of Sputnik.
Step-by-step explanation:
The U.S. Air Force developed its ground-based infrastructure, more mature space and missile programs, and the launch support bases necessary to get satellites into space during the 1950s. This effort was largely in response to the Soviet Union's successful launch of the world's first man-made satellite, Sputnik, in October 1957. The American government, under pressure from the emerging space race, worked quickly to close the gap.
As part of this initiative, in 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA embarked on a mission to launch satellites and astronauts into space, constructing launch facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and a mission control center in Houston, Texas.
The ground-based infrastructure developed alongside these efforts was crucial for the eventual success of various space missions, including the iconic Apollo 11 mission, which achieved President Kennedy's goal of landing a man on the moon in 1969.