The origins of the military in space date from the last days of World War II. With the war over in Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom raced to acquire as much German rocket technology and expertise as possible before the former Soviet Union could take control of certain parts of Germany. In August 1945, America's use of the atomic bomb against Japan helped end the war in the Pacific. However, it also led to the emergence of a climate of distrust and military competition between the United States and the former Soviet Union, and set the stage for the nuclear, missile and space races of the Cold War. To counter the threat of a possible Soviet nuclear attack, President Dwight Eisenhower made development of an intercontinental ballistic missile a national priority.

By the end of the 1950s, the Air Force accepted its first long-range Atlas ICBM, followed later by the Titan system. Meanwhile, the launch of the Soviet Sputnik space vehicle on Oct. 4, 1957, fueled American concern over space. The race was on in ballistic missile development and the space program. In response to the Soviet threat, defense cooperation grew between the United States and Canada, resulting in the activation of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) in 1957 to assure the aerospace defense of the North American continent. Almost 50 years later, this defense partnership continues to flourish and has been expanded to include maritime defense.