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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

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Image of the Day

By Hanneke Weitering

Inside the Large Magellanic Cloud, one of the Milky Way's cosmic neighbors, is a Mickey Mouse-shaped cloud of dust and gas that is riddled with bright, newborn stars.

NASA is eager to get commercial landers to the moon.

Moon Rush: NASA Wants Commercial Lunar Delivery Services to Start This Year

By Mike Wall

Art of human landing system and crew on lunar surface

Space News Webcasts: NASA's Lunar Exploration Forum for Moon Return

By SPACE.com Staff

NASA wants to return astronauts to the moon by 2028 and will hold an industry forum today (Feb. 14) with private companies. Watch it live here!

Cerealia Facula on Ceres

Dwarf Planet Ceres Hosted Near-Surface Water for Millions of Years

By Mike Wall

Some parts of the dwarf planet Ceres harbored pockets of near-surface water for millions of years in the recent past, a new study suggests.

Art of human landing system and crew on lunar surface

NASA Wants Help from Private Companies to Land Astronauts on the Moon by 2028

By Doris Elin Salazar

This week, NASA made a formal request for private companies to propose future lunar technologies, with responses due by the end of next month.

An artist's depiction of what a habitable exoplanet might look like.

New NASA Partnership Will Spearhead Search for Life

By Meghan Bartels

NASA is launching a new research partnership to tackle the search for life beyond Earth, including life that may look very different from the kinds we're familiar with.

NASA's Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) satellite was part of NASA's New Millennium Program. The satellite was decommissioned in 2017, but will remain in orbit until the 2050s.

NASA's New Millennium Program: Taking Risks to Reduce Future Danger

By Nola Taylor Redd

The New Millennium Program explored new technology in space to reduce mission costs.

revive saturn v campaign

Campaign Launched to 'Revive the Saturn V' Vertical Rocket Replica

By Robert Z. Pearlman

bennu

No, You Won’t See an 'Apocalypse Asteroid' in the Sky on Valentine's Day

By Mike Wall

Despite what you may have heard, the Valentine’s Day sky won't provide a glimpse of our impending doom. (Unless you're a star-crossed lover, of course.)

mro

NASA Spies InSight Mars Lander from Space as It Hunts Marsquakes (Photos)

By Meghan Bartels

Crescent View of Ultima Thule

Ultima Thule Beyond Pluto Is Flat Like a Pancake (and Not a Space Snowman After All)

By Mike Wall

The final photos that NASA's New Horizons spacecraft snapped of Ultima Thule during the probe's epic Jan. 1 flyby reveal the distant object to be much flatter than scientists had thought.

David Saint-Jacques on Bio-Monitor

Final Frontier Medicine: Astronauts Use 'Smart Shirt' and Ultrasounds to Monitor Health

By Elizabeth Howell

cosmos

Ariana Grande's 'NASA' Song Launch Has the Space Agency Over the Moon

By Meghan Bartels

NASA and pop star Ariana Grande exchanged tweets today (Feb. 8) after her new album included a song titled with the space agency's acronym.

Wreaths honor the memories of those lost in the pursuit of space exploration at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. for the agency's Day of Remembrance on Feb. 7, 2019.

Trump Honors Sacrifice of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia Astronauts

By Tariq Malik

President Donald Trump on Thursday (Feb. 7) honored the service and sacrifice of astronauts who gave their lives in the pursuit of space exploration during NASA's annual Day of Remembrance.

Asteroid Ryugu, Seen by Hayabusa2

Japan Will Land a Spacecraft on Asteroid Ryugu This Month to Snag a Sample

By Mike Wall

A Japanese asteroid probe will snag samples of its target space rock just two weeks from now, if all goes according to plan.

lunar-landers

Private Moon Landers Could Help NASA's Next Giant Leap in Lunar Exploration

By Meghan Bartels

The first commercial landers to touch down on the moon should do so by the end of 2021, and they have a long list of scientific questions to tackle when they do.

NASA Day of Remembrance 2014

NASA Honors Fallen Astronauts Today

By Mike Wall

NASA will pay tribute today (Feb. 7) to the 17 astronauts who died in the agency’s three tragedies.

LRO Spots Chang'e 4 Lander

NASA Probe Spots China's Chang'e 4 Lander on Far Side of the Moon (Photo)

By Mike Wall

2018-climate

2018 Was the 4th Hottest Year on Record. Here's How NASA Knows.

By Meghan Bartels

It's official: 2018 was the fourth hottest year on record, scientists at NASA and NOAA confirmed in a report released today (Feb. 6).

SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's Starliner

SpaceX, Boeing (and NASA) Push Back 1st Test Launches of Private Spaceships

By Mike Wall

SpaceX’s new astronaut taxi won’t make its inaugural trip to the International Space Station (ISS) this month after all.