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
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Latest about NASA
Will the ISS get another space plane visit before falling back to Earth in 2030? The dream may be fading
Modifications to a cargo deal between Sierra Space and NASA may mean the Dream Chaser space plane never reaches the International Space Station.
Private spacecraft will give NASA's Swift space telescope an orbital boost in 2026 in 1st-of-its-kind mission
Katalyst Space Technologies has scored a contract to raise the altitude of NASA's Swift Observatory, which has been hunting for gamma-ray bursts from low Earth orbit for more than two decades.
Meet 'Integrity': Artemis 2 astronauts name the spacecraft that will fly them around the moon
The four astronauts of NASA's Artemis 2 mission, who could launch on their trip around the moon as early as Feb. 5, have named their Orion capsule "Integrity."
'This is how I'm going to land': New NASA astronaut candidate's helicopter skills could come in handy on the moon
Ben Bailey has 2,000 hours of flight time, including with high-profile military helicopters. The NASA astronaut candidate may be able to leverage that experience for moon landings.
'We are ready for every scenario.' NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts say they're all set for historic flight to the moon
The four astronauts of NASA's Artemis 2 mission to the moon, which could launch as early as Feb. 5, are deep in training for the first crewed lunar flight in over 50 years.
NASA's IMAP spacecraft getting packed up for launch | Space photo of the day for Sept. 24, 2025
NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Sept. 24 to study the solar wind and space weather.
Watch live: NASA's Artemis 2 crew discusses upcoming moon mission today
NASA will discuss its upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission today (Sept. 24). Here's how to watch live.
SpaceX launches 3 probes to study space weather and map the boundaries of our solar system (video)
NASA's IMAP mission and two other spacecraft launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket early Wednesday morning (Sept. 24) to study space weather and its effects on Earth.
