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's Curiosity Mars rover is sizing up its next dig site on the Red Planet. The Curiosity team will characterize the surface composition of "Nazca" as thoroughly as possible before drilling.
NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft are wrapping up a year-long voyage to Mars, and are now ready to make a beeline to the Red Planet.
On Saturday (Nov. 7), NASA put out the call for applications for a new class of astronauts. Applications are due by Dec. 3.
Hear Neil Armstrong's son and granddaughter sing a moving tribute to the legendary Apollo 11 astronaut
The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft has gotten its first close-up look at the Didymos binary asteroid, the first space rock system "punched" by humanity.
NASA will host a first-of-its-kind air show and aerospace expo on Florida's Space Coast this weekend — an event that shares its name with one of Homer Simpson's aliases.
The three Americans currently living off Earth made sure their voices were heard, voting in the midterm election from the International Space Station.
The leader of NASA's first mission around the moon in half a century is the last to announce what's next for him after retiring from active astronaut duty.
The astronauts of NASA's Artemis III mission met with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday (Oct. 28), just as the Artemis II spaceflyers did six months ago.
