NASA is the space agency run by the United States to oversee American space exploration, research and technology. NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was founded in 1958 as a civilian agency for U.S. space exploration. Prior to 1958, the agency's progenitor was known as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. NASA develops, builds and launches missions to study the Earth, moon and sun, as well as the entire solar system and beyond. The agency has its headquarters in Washington D.C., with major centers in Florida (the Kennedy Space Center for launches) and Houston (the Johnson Space Center, home of the astronaut corps). Other centers are spread across the country for scientific research, test flights and spacecraft manufacturing. NASA's current chief is Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who is leading the agency's mission of returning astronauts to the moon and sending them on to Mars. See the latest NASA news.
Related Topics: Apollo Program, China Space Program, Incredible Space Tech, International Space Station, Interstellar Travel
Latest about NASA
'For All Mankind's' Costa Ronin on ruling Mars, honoring cosmonaut history, and learning to tie his tie (interview)
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and that goes for Red Planet rulers as well as Earth.
'For All Mankind's' Ruby Cruz and Ines Asserson on wearing those 'clunky' cool spacesuits and training with a Green Beret (interview)
"The spacesuits are like real spacesuits! They're so complicated and much heavier than you'd ever expect."
Shakeup at JPL? Control over iconic NASA center could change for 1st time in nearly 100 years
This is part of an even-larger "restructuring" at NASA.
NASA is updating its Artemis moon base plan. You can find out how on May 26.
NASA will give an update on Tuesday afternoon (May 26) about its plans to build a moon base, and you can watch it live.
Scientists thought Jupiter's moon Europa was ejecting water. Now they're not so sure
"The evidence for water vapor plumes on Europa isn’t as strong as we first understood it."
SpaceX will launch its 1st-ever Starship V3 megarocket today. The stakes couldn't be higher
There's a lot riding on the debut flight of SpaceX's Starship V3 megarocket — including some of NASA's lunar ambitions.
NASA satellite images uncover dramatic changes in Earth's nighttime lights
Using nearly a decade of satellite observations, NASA's Black Marble project reveals a constantly shifting portrait of human nighttime activity visible from space.
NASA's Psyche asteroid probe will fly within 3,000 miles of Mars today: Here's what to expect
NASA's asteroid-bound spacecraft Psyche is headed for an encounter with Mars on Friday (May 15) to get a boost from the Red Planet.
No, this isn't a solar eclipse. It's an image of Mars, captured by NASA's asteroid-bound Psyche probe
NASA spacecraft Psyche has captured a stunning image of Mars ahead of a flyby on Friday (May 15).
NASA's twin Voyager spacecraft are very low on power after nearly 50 years. How long can they keep going?
Voyager, the iconic twin spacecraft that NASA launched in 1977, are still flying in interstellar space. But their power is dwindling, and it's unclear how much longer they can last.