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
Staffing the moon base: How many astronauts should live in NASA's lunar outpost?
A simulation of future astronaut moon bases suggests that mission design, and not just psychology, needs to be considered for success.
NASA's New Horizons probe just woke up from hibernation 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto. What's it doing out there?
NASA's New Horizons probe has woken up in good health nearly 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto after spending nearly a year in hibernation.
James Webb Space Telescope celebrates its 4th birthday with stunning image of a galaxy crash site
To celebrate the fourth birthday of the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA has released a stunning image of the strangely shaped galaxy Centaurus A, the site of a cosmic collision 2 billion years ago.
Even astronauts in space saw America 250 fireworks on the Fourth of July. See their ISS view of Los Angeles (video)
The U.S. just celebrated its 250th birthday, and the Americans living off the planet had a great view of some of the parties down below.
NASA just found a planet 'hiding' in TESS spacecraft data, all thanks to Einstein
NASA's exoplanet-hunting spacecraft TESS has a new method for detecting worlds beyond the solar system, and it is thanks to Einstein.
Human flight was still 7 years away in 1776. Now, we're headed back to the moon
Humanity made some halting steps toward flight over the centuries, but our species was still firmly rooted on the ground when the United States of America was born on July 4, 1776.
America at 500: Where will we be in space in 2276?
When the U.S. was born, humanity was still seven years away from balloon-borne flight. Where might we be another 250 years from now, should the nation be fortunate enough to survive that long?
NASA audit puts Boeing's Starliner under an even bigger microscope: When will it fly astronauts again?
A new NASA audit says the agency will need to purchase more astronaut flights to the ISS by 2030 and focuses on issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
