NASA, the latest news from the US space agency
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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
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Space pictures! See our space image of the day
By Space.com Staff last updated
Space.com's image of the day rounds up the most awe-inspiring space photos right here, with a new image everyday.
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NASA astronauts hold their own Summer Olympics in space (video)
By Mike Wall published
NASA astronauts held their own mini-Olympics on the International Space Station to mark the start of the Summer Games here on Earth.
![a cone-shaped spacecraft splashes down into open sea under three parachutes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rdcYezmFiS32XJLgxyuChQ-320-80.png)
SpaceX moving Crew Dragon splashdowns to West Coast after multiple space debris incidents
By Elizabeth Howell published
The four astronauts flying aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon are supposed to launch no earlier than Aug. 18 and splash down near Florida. Future crews will go to the west coast due to space junk concerns.
![A green aurora simes over the curvature of Earth, seen from a low orbit.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JPAEXwJcqXPNJuJ7jpoKxa-320-80.jpg)
ISS astronaut captures auroras and a meteor in stunning timelapse from space (video)
By Samantha Mathewson published
Auroras, stars and a fleeting meteor are captured in a mesmerizing new view from the International Space Station.
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Former astronaut Mark Kelly on shortlist for Harris' VP pick
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut, is on Vice President Kamala Harris' shortlist to be her running mate as she pursues becoming the next president of the United States.
![a cone-shaped spacecraft above the earth at night. streaks of light indicate a time exposure image and movement](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TVfn9jHPsxEZ67ipvDR7xJ-320-80.jpg)
50 days after launch to ISS, Boeing Starliner astronauts still have no landing date
By Elizabeth Howell published
Boeing's Starliner does not have a landing date yet, but the troubleshooting is making progress. Engineers plan a "hot fire" test this weekend to see how the spacecraft does in orbit.
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SpaceX rocket failure highlights need for multiple launch options: 'Falcon 9 is not invulnerable'
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 is one of the most reliable and prolific rockets ever flown. But it's not invulnerable, as we saw earlier this month.
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ISS scientists make headway in cancer research: 'We're NASA, we do Moonshots'
By Victoria Corless published
NASA's Cancer Moonshot Initiative aims to harness microgravity conditions on the International Space Station to study the disease like never before.
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