USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, becomes the first vessel to reach the North Pole, cruising beneath the Arctic ice.

Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus shut down all of Little Rock's public high schools rather than comply with court-ordered desegregation.

NASA formally absorbed the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from the U.S. Army, folding America's rocket research into the new civilian space agency.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration officially began operations, absorbing the old NACA to compete with the Soviets in space.

Chad was proclaimed an autonomous republic within the French Community, a major step toward full independence achieved two years later.

Force reorganization aside, a lesser marker: on this date scientists in Antarctica completed key traverse work under the International Geophysical Year program.

The U.S. Army launches SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, which broadcasts a recorded Christmas message from President Eisenhower to the world.