NASA, the latest news from the US space agency

Famous NASA Logo
NASA's famous emblem. (Image credit: NASA)

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

An orange rocket with a white top stands against a dynamic sky.

NASA delays critical Artemis 2 rocket fueling test due to below-freezing temperatures, launch no earlier than Feb. 8

By Josh Dinner published

NASA has been forced to delay a critical fueling test for its Artemis 2 moon rocket due to unusually cold weather forecasted to hit the Space Coast this weekend.

Artemis
Four bright orange spacesuits with the circular NASA logo and American and Canadian flags on the arms hang on a rack in the middle of an empty room with chairs to the right and an image on the back white wall of two astronauts looking at each other

Artemis 2 moon suits ready to make history | Space photo of the day for Jan. 30, 2026

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

Time to suit up!

Artemis
A close up of a gray planet in the darkness of space with streaks of brown running across it

Jupiter's moon Europa has an ice shell about 18 miles thick — and that could be bad news for alien life

By Julian Dossett published

Using data gathered by NASA's Juno Jupiter orbiter, scientists estimate that Europa's ice shell is about 18 miles thick — which could make it hard for nutrients to get down to its buried ocean.

Jupiter
An artist's illustration of the Phobos 2 mission to the Mars moon Phobos launched by the former Soviet Union. It arrived in orbit around Mars on Jan. 29, 1989.

On this day in space: Jan. 29, 1989: Phobos 2 enters orbit around Mars

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On January 29, 1989, a Soviet space probe named Phobos 2 arrived in orbit around Mars.

Launches & Spacecraft
An image of the world with various lines of green and blue showing the river system with a table of numbers on the left showing main flow levels corresponding to various colors.

Satellite sees river flow across the globe | Space photo of the day for Jan. 29, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

Along with this stunning image is the first-ever global estimate of river water discharge and overall sediment suspension.

Earth
four humans stand in blue jumpsuits in front of a background of a dark earth and shadowed moon, with a small ISS in the top left.

NASA and SpaceX move up launch of Crew-12 astronauts to Feb. 11 as relief crew after ISS medical evacuation

By Josh Dinner published

NASA and SpaceX are proceeding ahead of schedule with their next astronaut launch to the International Space Station, which is currently operating with a skeleton crew.

Human Spaceflight
A streaking white comet moves to the left of the image with a boxout showing a floating metal spacecraft with two opposing solar panels in space

NASA exoplanet probe tracks interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to gauge its spin

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The interstellar visitor may still have a few things to tell us before it leaves our solar system.

Comets
A vertical building is lit up in red, white and blue colors with the numbers 250 on it from top to bottom next to a white illuminated building with columns against a dark night sky.

America's 250th lights up Washington Monument | Space photo of the day for Jan. 28, 2026

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

A 250th anniversary only comes once in a lifetime.

Earth
a white jet on a tarmac

NASA research jet makes fiery 'wheels-up landing' after experiencing mechanical issue (video)

By Brett Tingley published

One of NASA's high-altitude WB-57 research jet made a fiery wheels-up landing on Tuesday (Jan. 27) after a mechanical issue prevented it from lowering its landing gear.

Aerospace
a white aircraft attached to a large orange rocket lifts off above a plume of fire and smoke

40 years after the space shuttle Challenger disaster, spaceflight remains far from routine

By Elizabeth Howell published

Seven astronauts lost their lives during the Challenger space shuttle disaster on Jan. 28, 1986. Four decades later, human spaceflight remains a difficult business.

Human Spaceflight
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