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
The 1st private mission to Venus comes together ahead of possible 2026 launch (photos)
The first private spacecraft mission to Venus, Rocket Lab's Photon Spacecraft, will take on the planet's hellish conditions with the aid of a novel woven heat shield called "HEEET."
Arctic ice is melting faster than expected — and the culprit could be dust
An audacious NASA mission suggests that dust blown north from Greenland could help explain why Arctic ice is melting even faster than expected.
SpaceX's Crew-10 mission arrives at International Space Station to relieve Starliner astronauts (video)
SpaceX's Crew-10 astronaut mission arrived at the International Space Station early Sunday morning (March 16).
SpaceX launches relief crew for NASA's beleaguered Starliner astronauts on ISS (video)
SpaceX launched the Crew-10 mission to the ISS today (March 14) to relieve the 'stuck' Starliner astronauts and two other crewmembers aboard the orbiting lab.
SpaceX Crew-10 astronaut launch: Live updates
Read the latest news about SpaceX's Crew-9 and Crew-10 missions to the International Space Station for NASA.
Watch a SpaceX rocket launch Crew-10 relief mission tonight for NASA astronauts on ISS after delay (video)
SpaceX plans to launch the Crew-10 mission to relieve the current astronauts aboard the ISS on Friday (March 14), and you can watch the action live.
Capri Sun takes a swing at an eclipse with limited 'Moon Punch' drink
Capri Sun now shares another thing in common with NASA. The juice brand and space agency are already using the same foil for their drink packages. Now both are moon-bound.
SpaceX calls off Crew-10 astronaut launch for NASA due to hydraulics issue (video)
SpaceX scrubbed today's (March 12) planned launch of the Crew-10 astronaut mission for NASA due to a ground-system hydraulics issue.
