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 chief defends all-male Artemis 3 astronaut crew amid backlash: 'I don't think anyone should be reading into this'
The four astronauts named to the Artemis 3 crew are all male, but NASA officials emphasized they were selected based on their qualifications and experience.
NASA reveals Artemis 3 astronauts for critical moon lander test flight
NASA named the astronauts who will launch on its Artemis 3 mission next year to test docking procedures in Earth orbit ahead of a planned moon landing in 2028.
This former Paralympic athlete could become the 1st person with a physical disability to live in orbit
European Space Agency astronaut John McFall could be headed to the private Haven-1 space station as soon as 2027.
Could meteor storms harm NASA's future moon missions?
"If a major meteor shower outburst or storm is forecast during a mission or crew activity, the mission would be delayed or the crew kept inside until the outburst or storm is over."
Going supersonic! NASA's X-59 jet breaks sound barrier for the 1st time
NASA's X-59 jet broke the sound barrier for the first time on Friday (June 5), reaching a top speed of about Mach 1.1.
NASA's dead Mars orbiter MAVEN will crash into the Red Planet in the next 100 years. It's not the only probe in the Mars morgue
NASA just declared its MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after a dozen productive years circling the Red Planet. Here's the fate that awaits the probe.
Like 'the loss of a loved one': NASA's Mars orbiter MAVEN is officially dead after months of radio silence
NASA has declared its MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after Red Planet anomaly led to months of lost contact.
Massive boom over northeastern US was a meteor explosion as powerful as 300 tons of TNT, NASA confirms
Footage from a satellite confirmed that a May 30 sonic boom heard over the northeastern US was from a meteor, NASA stated.
