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
NASA just picked a new upper stage for its SLS moon rocket amid Artemis shakeup
NASA has wasted no time in selecting the vehicle that will replace the upper stage on its new plans for a standardized Space Launch System rocket.
NASA's asteroid-smashing DART spacecraft hit so hard, it changed its target space rocks' orbit around the sun
The mission without a doubt proves that we could deflect a hazardous asteroid away from Earth — so long as we discover it in the nick of time.
Incoming! 1,300-pound NASA satellite will crash to Earth on March 10
NASA's Van Allen Probe A will crash to Earth on Tuesday (March 10) after nearly 14 years in orbit, according to the Space Force's current best estimate. But don't panic; you'll probably be fine.
NASA wants to accelerate its Artemis missions to the moon. It will need to drop some big hardware to do it.
A big restructuring of NASA's plans to land astronauts on the moon is adding missions and speeding up the timeline, but some hardware might have to be cut loose in the process.
'War of the Worlds' in reverse? Mars dirt could help fight off a microbial invasion from Earth
Tests conducted with tardigrades suggest that there is something in Martian dirt that dramatically reduces biological activity.
NASA is overhauling its Artemis program. What does that mean for humanity's return to the moon?
In a major shakeup of the Artemis program, NASA is adding more missions to its timeline to land astronauts on the moon in 2028.
NASA repairs Artemis 2 moon rocket in hopes of an April lunar launch
NASA has repaired its Artemis 2 rocket, apparently keeping things on track for a possible April launch of the first crewed moon mission in more than 50 years.
Is it legal to own, buy, or sell Apollo mission moon rocks and lunar samples?
NASA has severe penalties for those who dare to deal in astromaterials.
