NASA, the latest news from the US space agency
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
SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts undock from ISS after weather delays (photo)
By Elizabeth Howell last updated
SpaceX's Crew-8 astronaut mission for NASA undocked from the International Space Station today (Oct. 23) after several weather delays.
NASA astronaut makes dazzling 'Jupiter-like planet' on ISS using water and food coloring (photo)
By Elizabeth Howell published
Microgravity makes water do weird and wonderful things. NASA astronaut Don Pettit took advantage of that fact to create a colorful ball that resembles Jupiter.
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.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a Halloween visitor from the spooky Oort Cloud − the invisible bubble that's home to countless space objects
By James Wray published
The cloud is basically a gigantic reservoir that may hold billions of icy celestial bodies. Two of those bodies will pass by Earth in the days leading up to Halloween.
NASA peers into the blistering hot plasma swirling around 12 black holes
By Conor Feehly published
Stellar-mass and supermassive black hole coronas have some similarities, and this is great news for black hole physicists.
'NASA at a crossroads:' Budget woes, aging infrastructure and hard choices ahead
By Leonard David published
The next few years are likely to be pivotal ones for NASA, according to a hard-hitting report by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
'Edge of Space' director Jean de Meuron on his X-15 film and having 'the right stuff' (exclusive)
By Jeff Spry published
An interview with "Edge of Space" director Jean de Meuron, as well as a clip from the new film about NASA's famous X-15 rocket plane.
Like Wall-E, this lovable trash compactor will help ISS astronauts take out the garbage (photo)
By Elizabeth Howell published
Garbage is a growing problem for astronaut missions on the ISS. As NASA seeks to send people to the moon later this decade, Sierra Space is ready to test a trash compactor on the ISS in 2026.
Europe launches ambitious 'Moonlight' program to support lunar exploration
By Andrew Jones published
Europe has officially launched the Moonlight program, which aims to provide services for the more than 400 moon missions planned by space agencies and private companies over the next two decades.
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