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 Amazon rainforest river from space | Space photo of the day for April 30, 2026
The Ucayali River snakes across the rainforest in this image captured by NASA astronaut Jessica Meir from the International Space Station.
NASA chief Jared Isaacman says he's fighting for Pluto: 'I am very much in the camp of 'make Pluto a planet again'
Should Pluto be a bona fide planet again? NASA is working to "revisit the discussion" on Pluto's planethood status, according to agency chief Jared Isaacman.
Russia launches 3 tons of cargo to the International Space Station from Kazakhstan (video)
Russia launched its latest Progress cargo ship toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome on Saturday (April 25).
How did the USSR win the space race to beat the US to the moon in Apple TV's new 'Star City'?
"I take this step for my country, for my people, and for the Marxist-Leninist way of life."
NASA's TESS spacecraft discovers a weird system of exoplanets unlike anything seen before
"Most planetary systems appear as 'peas in a pod.' This is not the case in the TOI-201 system."
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA's next great observatory, is finally complete
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is set to launch this coming September, has the potential to show us pockets of the cosmos we've yet to touch.
Astronauts photograph Lyrid meteor shower from ISS | Space photo of the day for April 21, 2026
NASA's Jessica Meir spotted the Lyrids from aboard the space station.
NASA shuts down Voyager 1 instrument to keep probe exploring interstellar space
NASA engineers have shut down another instrument on Voyager 1 to preserve the power of the most distant spacecraft ever sent into space.
A peek at the far side of the moon | Space photo of the day for April 20, 2026
The Artemis 2 astronauts captured a unique image of the moon's "dark side" during their historic April 2026 flyby.
Landing astronauts on the moon 'is absolutely doable, and it's doable soon,' NASA's Artemis 2 commander says
The Artemis 2 astronauts said they gained a deeper understanding of their Orion capsule during their moon mission — and what they learned bodes well for future Artemis flights.